BV  1475  . B76  1923 
Brown ,  M.  Florence  (Mary 
Florence) . 

Pleasing  God  by  right-doing 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2019  with  funding  from 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


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https://archive.org/details/pleasinggodbyrigOObrow 


■■  . 


Pleasing  God  by 

Doing 


Primary  Department,  Second  Year 

By 

M.  FLORENCE  BROWN 


The  Westminster  Textbooks  of  Religious  Education 
For  Church  Schools  Having  Sunday,  Week 
Day,  and  Expressional  Sessions 

Edited  by  JOHN  T.  FARIS,  D.D. 


Philadelphia 
The  Westminster  Press 
1923 


/ 


Copyright,  1922, 
by 

F.  M.  BRASELMAN 


Preface 


The  Westminster  Textbooks  of  Religious  Education  are 
planned  to  meet  the  needs  of  churches  seeking  to  unify  their 
educational  program.  The  informational,  devotional,  and 
expressional  phases  of  religious  education  have  been,  hereto¬ 
fore,  to  a  large  extent,  independent  of  one  another.  This 
lack  of  correlation  has  been  detrimental  to  educational  effi¬ 
ciency.  Time  and  effort  have  been  lost  through  duplication. 
Valuable  information  has  failed  to  register  itself  in  conduct 
because  of  the  lack  of  suitable  opportunities  for  expression. 
Many  of  our  churches  have  been  feeling  their  way  toward 
better  educational  standards.  It  is  in  response  to  the  re¬ 
quests  and  needs  of  these  churches  that  the  series  of  lessons 
has  been  undertaken. 

These  textbooks  as  prepared  for  the  Intermediate  and 
Junior  Departments  are  planned  for  church  schools  having 
a  Week  Day  Session,  a  Sunday  Session,  and  an  Expres¬ 
sional  Session,  meeting  either  on  Sunday  or  on  a  week  day. 
An  absolute  differentiation  of  the  three  phases  of  the  edu¬ 
cative  process  is  neither  possible  nor  desirable.  The  lessons 
are  SO'  arranged,  however,  that  the  Week  Day  Session  is 
mainly  informational,  the  Sunday  Session  more  largely  de¬ 
votional,  and  the  third  session  of  the  week  largely  expres¬ 
sional.  It  has  been  decided,  however,  that  it  is  unwise  to 
give  to'  the  pupils  of  the  Primary  Department  an  Expres¬ 
sional  Session,  so  that  for  these  grades  only  two  sessions 
are  planned. 

Since  the  course  is  a  unity,  it  is  not  necessarily  con¬ 
fined  to  the  plan  suggested.  It  would  be  equally  suited  to'  a 
week-day  church-school  system  having  three  sessions  a  week 
for  the  older  pupils,  and  two  sessions  for  the  Primary  De¬ 
partment,  and  unrelated  to  the  Sunday-school  program  of 
the  community.  The  course  could  be  adjusted  to  any  local 
condition,  provided  the.  sequence  of  the  lessons  were  main¬ 
tained. 


IV 


PREFACE 


Forty-two  lessons  of  three  sections  each  are  provided  for 
each  grade,  or  year  of  the  Intermediate  and  Junior  grades, 
and  forty-two  lessons  of  two  sections  each  for  the  Primary 
grade.  It  is  thought  that  this  will  furnish  material  for  a 
church-school  program  throughout  the  public-school  year. 
It  is  also  believed  that  many  schools  will  find  the  material 
sufficient  for  the  use  of  the  Sunday  Session  during  that  part 
of  the  year  when  Week  Day  Sessions  are  discontinued. 
Much  of  this  summer  season  might  be  spent  in  a  rapid  re¬ 
view  of  the  work  covered  during  the  other  part  of  the  year. 
No  exact  adjustment  to  any  particular  circumstances  is  at¬ 
tempted  because  of  the  fact  that  church  schools  differ  widely 
in  the  matter  of  their  summer  sessions.  Some  are  practically 
closed  all  summer;  some  continue  on  as  extensive  a  basis  as 
during  other  parts  of  the  year.  The  whole  matter  of  ad¬ 
justment  is  best  left  to  the  local  church-school  administra¬ 
tion.  If  a  church  school  practically  closes  at  the  beginning 
of  summer,  it  would  be  well  for  the  authorities  of  that 
school  to  plan  for  a  completion  of  each  year’s  course  at  that 
time.  If  the  school  runs  on  through  the  summer  with  un¬ 
diminished  attendance,  more  time  may  be  taken  for  the  les¬ 
sons,  a  part  of  each  book  being  left  for  completion  in  the 
summer  sessions.  Where  this  is  done,  the  section  intended 
for  the  week-day  lesson  may  be  taken  on  one  Sunday  of  the 
summer  period,  the  Sunday  lesson  related  to  this  week-day 
lesson  the  next  Sunday,  and  the  expressional  lesson,  in  older 
grades,  on  a  third  Sunday. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Preface  .  iii 

Suggestions  to  the  Teacher .  vii 

PLEASING  GOD  BY  RIGHT-DOING 

Chapter  I.  The  King  Who  Lost  His 

Chance .  3 

David  and  His  Sheep .  8 

Chapter  II.  David  Conquering  H  i  s 

Temper  .  13 

Four  Young  Men  Choosing 
the  Right  (Temperance 

Lesson .  19 

Chapter  III.  The  Story  of  a  Guest  Room..  24 

A  Hungry  Woman  Sharing 

Her  Bread .  28 

Chapter  IV.  How  Abram  Stopped  a  Quar¬ 
rel  .  34 

A  Captive  Maid  Trying  to 

Help .  39 

Chapter  V.  A  Story  About  Forgiving .  44 

Peter  Asks  a  Question .  48 

THE  RIGHT  USE  OF  GOD’S  BOOK,  GOD’S  BIOUSE, 

AND  GOD’S  DAY 

Chapter  VI.  A  Lost  Book  Found .  57 

Making  the  Book  Speak  for 

God .  61 

Chapter  VII.  A  King  and  His  People  Car¬ 
ing  for  God’s  House .  66 

Jesus  in  His  Father’s  House.  69 

Chapter  VIII.  Keeping  the  Lord’s  Day .  74 

Jesus’  Way  of  Keeping  the 
Sabbath  Day .  77 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


PRAYER  AND  PRAISE 

page: 


Chapter  IX.  Praying  for  a  Friend .  85 

Prayers  and  Their  Answers.  .  88 

Chapter  X.  Daniel  in  the  Lions’  Den .  94 

Six  Years’  Savings .  98 

Chapter  XI.  Nehemiah,  the  King’s  Cup¬ 
bearer  .  103 

Trust  in  God .  107 

Chapter  XII.  A  Story  of  a  Thanksgiving 

Day .  Ill 

Thanksgiving  in  a  Mountain 
Home  .  115 


LISTENING  TO  GOD’S  MESSENGERS 

Chapter  XIII.  God’s  Messengers  to  Abra¬ 
ham  .  123 

A  Prison  Keeper  Listens  to 
God’s  Messenger .  127 

Chapter  XIV.  Samuel  Bringing  God’s  Mes¬ 
sage  to  a  Boy  of  Bethlehem  131 
The  Still  Small  Voice .  134 


THE  CPIILDHOOD  OF  JESUS 

Chapter  XV.  The  Angel’s  Message  to  Mary  141 

The  Angels’  Song  and  the 


Shepherds’  Visit .  146 

Chapter  XVI.  The  Visit  of  the  Wise  Men..  .  151 

The  Baby  Jesus  in  the  Temple  155 

Chapter  XVII.  The  Story  of  a  Journey .  160 

The  Boy  Jesus  Visits  Jerusa¬ 
lem  .  164 

Chapter  XVIII.  Jesus  and  Four  Fishermen. . .  170 

Jesus  and  a  Blind  Man .  176 

Chapter  XIX.  Jesus  and  the  Nobleman’s  Son  181 

A  Wonderful  Day  in  a  Fisher¬ 
man’s  Cottage .  185 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  vii 

FAGE 

Chapter  XX.  The  Healing  of  the  Withered 

Hand  .  190 

Jesus  and  the  Deaf  and  Dumb 
Man  .  194 

JESUS  CHOOSING  HELPERS 

Chapter  XXI.  The  Helpers  Chosen  and  Sent 

Out  .  201 

JESUS  LOVING  AND  RECEIVING  LOVE 


Jesus  and  the  Children . 

209 

Chapter 

XXII. 

A  Gift  for  Jesus . 

214 

The  Children’s  Praise  Song.  . 

218 

Chapter 

XXIII. 

Jesus  Feeding  Many  Hungry 

People  . 

223 

Jesus  Stilling  the  Storm . 

227 

Chapter 

XXIV. 

A  Story  of  Ten  Men  of 

Samaria . 

232 

Jesus  Restoring  Life  to  a 

Little  Girl . 

235 

Chapter 

XXV. 

Jesus  Dying  and  Living  Again 

240 

The  Walk  to  Emmaus . 

244 

Chapter 

XXVI. 

Jesus  Going  to  the  Heavenly 

Home  . 

249 

Peter  and  John  at  the  Beauti- 

ful  Gate . 

253 

Chapter 

XXVII. 

Philip  and  the  Man  in  a 

Chariot  . 

257 

Peter  and  the  Roman  Captain. 

260 

Chapter 

XXVIII. 

Paul  is  Told  What  to  Do . 

265 

Paul  in  an  Angry  Mob . 

268 

THE  CHILDREN  OF  THE  WORLD  FOR  JESUS 


Chapter 

XXIX. 

Seeking  the  Lost  Sheep . 

275 

The  North  American  Indians. 

280 

Chapter 

XXX. 

A  Boy  and  His  Lunch  Basket. 

288 

The  Eskimos . 

293 

Vlll 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Chapter  XXXI.  Jesus  Tells  a  Story  About  a 

Father’s  Love .  300 

The  Children  of  Cherry  Blos¬ 
som  Land .  305 

Chapter  XXXII.  Jesus  Helping  a  Mother  and 

Child  .  312 

The  Immigrant  Child .  316 

LEARNING  TO  KNOW  AND  TO  DO  GOD’S  WILL 

Chapter  XXXIII.  Moses  the  Prince .  323 

The  Prince  Becomes  a  Shep¬ 
herd  .  327 

Chapter  XXXIV.  “  Here  Ami” .  332 

Learning  to  Be  Faithful .  337 

Chapter  XXXV.  Moses  Before  the  King .  341 

Moses  Leading  the  Israelites 
Out  of  Egypt .  346 

Chapter  XXXVI.  Thirsty  Travelers .  351 

The  Story  of  the  Manna .  355 

Chapter  XXXVII.  The  Giving  of  the  Law .  359 

The  Two  Brave  Spies .  364 

Chapter  XXXVIII.  Joshua  Leading  the  Israelites 

Into  the  Promised  Land .  .  .  368 
A  Story  of  Seven  Obedient 
Days  .  372 

THE  RIGHT  USE  OF  GOD’S  GIFTS  (Temperance) 

Chapter  XXXIX.  The  House  In  Which  I  Live.  .  379 

Tom,  the  Water  Baby .  383 

Chapter  XL.  God’s  Gifts  for  Food .  390 

The  Story  of  the  Rechabites.  .  394 

GOD  IN  HIS  WORLD 

Chapter  XLI.  God’s  Creatures  of  the  Field.  .  401 

The  Great,  Wide  Sea .  406 

Chapter  XLII.  Day  and  Night .  409 

Seedtime  and  Harvest .  413 


SUGGESTIONS  TO  THE  TEACHER 

The;  Live;s  to  Be;  Infiaje;nce:d 

When  the  Master  was  upon  earth  he  said,  “  Suffer  the 
little  children  to  come  unto  me ;  forbid  them  not :  for  to  such 
belongeth  the  kingdom  of  God.”  To  show  these  little  ones 
the  way  to  the  Master  and  to  give  them  the  religious  instruc¬ 
tion  which  will  enable  them  to  obey  the  laws  which  God  has 
given  all  his  children  to  keep,  is  one  of  the  primary  objectives 
of  our  Church. 

More  and  more  attention  is  being  given  to  the  proper  kind 
of  instruction  necessary  to  the  best  help  of  these  children, 
and  the  Church  may  justly  be  proud  of  the  resulting  litera¬ 
ture  available  for  such  teaching.  Of  late  there  has  been  a 
growing  feeling  that  there  is  need  for  further  instruction 
than  it  is  possible  to  give  in  the  one  hour  of  Sunday  which  is 
generally  devoted  to  it,  and  a  movement  has  been  started  to 
establish  schools  for  week-day  religious  instruction  which 
will  hold  for  one  or  two  sessions  a  week  in  addition  to  and 
correlated  with  the  Sunday-school  lesson.  Such  schools  have 
been  begun  in  a  number  of  sections  with  marked  success, 
and  an  effort  is  being  made  to  supply  them  as  well  as  others 
which  it  is  hoped  may  be  formed,  with  proper  literature  and 
equipment. 

Surely  at  no  time  in  history  has  there  been  a  more  press¬ 
ing  need  to  make  God  and  his  Kingdom  and  the  coming 
into  his  Kingdom  of  vital  moment  in  the  life  of  our  nation 
than  the  present. 

This  book  is  prepared  for  the  children  of  six,  seven,  and 
eight  years  of  age  and  their  teachers — the  Primary  Grade. 
The  lessons  are  closely  correlated  with  the  Primary  De¬ 
partmental  Graded  Lessons.  There  will  be  two  lessons  for 
each  week,  one  for  a  week-day  and  one  for  a  Sunday  session. 
The  lesson  prepared  for  the  week  day  will  be  chiefly  instruc¬ 
tional,  almost  always  a  Biblical  story.  The  lesson  prepared 
for  Sunday  will  be  devotional  in  character,  and  will  often 


IX 


X 


TO  THE  TEACHER 


show  how  the  thought  aroused  and  the  conclusions  gained 
in  the  preceding  Biblical  story  may  be  applied  to  the  little, 
unfolding  lives  of  the  children*  They  will  be  lessons  in 
character-building. 

There  will  be  ample  suggestions  for  expressional  activities 
throughout  the  course.  Simply  giving  the  intellectual  in¬ 
struction  is  not  enough.  Something  must  be  done  to  bring 
this  truth  into  the  very  life  of  the  pupil.  To  do  this  let  us 
help  the  children  to  carry  out  in  some  action  the  truth  which 
has  become  mentally  theirs.  There  are  many,  many  ways 
of  doing  this — giving  gifts  to  the  poor,  sharing  at  the  holi¬ 
day  seasons,  performing  everyday  acts  of  kindness  to  the 
comrades  round  about  them. 

The:  Schoolroom 

We  all  know  that  a  pleasant  environment  has  much  to  do 
with  the  happiness  of  the  children  in  a  schoolroom,  as  well 
as  with  the  actual  influence  and  success  of  the  teacher  her¬ 
self.  The  room  should  be  chosen  for  its  brightness  and 
cheeriness  as  far  as  this  is  possible.  But  even  if  the  room 
is  not  so  satisfactory  as  one  could  wish,  much  can  be  done  to 
improve  it  by  means  of  proper  color  schemes  in  decoration 
and  touches  of  beauty  in  the  furnishings. 

First  of  all,  be  neat;  do  not  allow  your  room  to  become 
cluttered  and  disorderly  in  appearance.  Have  a  place  for 
everything  and  everything  in  its  place,  and  insist  upon  this 
personal  characteristic  from  yourself  and  from  the  children. 
Have  a  cabinet  or  set  of  shelves. 

There  are  certain  supplies  that  will  be  necessary : 

Desks  or  tables  Pencils  Blunt  scissors 

Bibles  Crayon  Pictures 

Paper  Erasers  Paste 

Have  a  few  good  pictures  on  the  wall.  A  vase  of  fresh 
flowers  in  season — or  often  one  single  fine  specimen — adds 
more  joy  than  perhaps  you  realize. 

Little  by  little  add  to  your  cabinet  such  curios  and  per¬ 
manent  supplies  as  you  can  gather,  in  time  making  a  really 
valuable  museum. 


TO  THE  TEACHER 


xi 


Have  a  sand  table;  no  other  feature  will  be  found  more 
useful  for  illustrating  purposes. 

The  following  books  will  be  useful  for  your  bookshelf  : 

“  How  to  Tell  Stories  to  Children,”  Sara  Cone  Bryant. 

“  Stories  to  Tell  to  Children,”  Sara  Cone  Bryant. 

“  Stories  for  Sunday  Telling,”  Carolyn  Sherwin  Bailey. 

“  For  the  Children’s  Hour,”  Bailey  and  Lewis. 

“  Manual  of  Stories,”  William  Byron  Forbush. 

“  Stories  and  Story  Telling,”  Edward  Porter  St.  John. 

“  All  About  the  Primary,”  Elizabeth  Williams  Sudlow. 

“  The  Primary  Department,”  Phoebe  A.  Curtiss. 

Handwork 

Some  form  of  handwork  is  of  great  help  in  making  per¬ 
manent  the  thought  which  you  have  been  developing.  This 
will  not  be  necessary  for  every  lesson,  but  should  have  a 
place  in  many.  The  series  of  handwork  leaflets  which  is 
furnished  with  the  Primary  Departmental  Lessons,  pub¬ 
lished  by  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication  and  Sab¬ 
bath  School  Work,  will  prove  helpful  and  suggestive.  Poster 
picture  work,  folding,  and  booklet-making  should  be  ar¬ 
ranged  by  the  teacher  according  to  the  need  of  the  particular 
lesson  and  the  ability  of  her  particular  children. 

The;  TeacheWs  Aim 

The  primary  age  is  eminently  a  habit  forming  period,  as 
the  child’s  brain  is  at  this  time  so  plastic.  Let  us  take  ad¬ 
vantage  of  this  fact  and  help  to  establish  habits  of  right 
living.  Let  us  help  him  to  turn  unconsciously  in  loving 
obedience  to  God’s  rules. 

It  will  be  necessary  for  the  teacher  to  understand  child 
nature  and  to  make  a  study  of  child  psychology.  Not  only 
should  she  understand  the  child  in  general,  but  she  should 
also  study  her  particular  children  for  all  children  vary  to 
some  degree  from  the  pattern  child. 

Remember  that  the  lessons  given  are  not  to  be  followed 
mechanically,  but  are  given  as  guides  and  suggestions.  Only 
as  they  are  helpful  as  means  of  influencing  the  teacher  to 
give  the  very  best  of  herself,  a  love  and  enthusiasm  for  her 


TO  THE  TEACHER 


•  • 

Xll 

work,  as  well  as  arousing  her  initiative  and  originality,  are 
they  of  value. 


A  Word  as  to  the:  Story 

A  teacher  of  any  experience  whatever  recognizes  the  fact 
that  the  story  form  is  the  all-important  means  of  reaching 
the  mind  of  a  Primary  child.  Story-telling  is  much  easier 
for  some  teachers  than  for  others,  but  all  teachers  may  im¬ 
prove  this  ability  by  the  right  kind  of  practice  and  by  the 
observance  of  certain  facts.  Avoid  a  strained,  high-pitched, 
falsetto  voice ;  be  natural ;  be  yourself.  Cultivate  a  low, 
clear  voice,  and  make  only  such  gestures  as  seem  positively 
necessary,  gestures  which  creep  in  unconsciously. 

Much,  very  much  depends  upon  your  first  sentence  or  two ; 
if  you  cannot  capture  interest  by  these,  you  probably  will 
not  gain  attention  at  all.  Work  up  to  your  climax,  then  give 
a  short,  terse  conclusion.  Do  not  hammer  in  a  moral.  Your 
story  should  teach  your  lesson  without  this  fault,  which  is 
always  detected  and  loathed  by  a  bright,  healthy,  normal, 
everyday  boy  or  girl. 


Dramatics 

A  story  is  often  most  satisfactorily  clinched  by  means  of 
simple  dramatics.  Many  of  the  children  are  quite  familiar 
with  this  mode  of  expression  as  in  recent  years  considerable 
attention  is  being  devoted  to  such  exercises  in  the  day 
schools. 

Review  lessons  are  often  made  delightful  instead  of  dull 
by  this  form  of  expression  and  several  such  lessons  are 
provided  for  in  this  book.  The  teacher  may  simplify  or 
elaborate  these  as  she  pleases,  according  to  the  age  and 
ability  of  her  pupils. 

Reasons  tor  SpTciar  Days 

Teachers  may  desire  to  shift  lessons  in  order  to  bring  the 
Christmas  and  Easter  lessons  at  the  proper  dates. 


PLEASING  GOD  BY  RIGHT-DOING 


. 


CHAPTER  I 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

THE  KING  WHO  LOST  HIS  CHANCE 
I  Samuel  8:1-10;  9:1-10,  15-27;  10:1;  15:1-23 

Memory  Verse 

“  Unto  his  voice  will  we  hearken.” — Joshua  24:24c. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

It  is  the  self-controlled  individual  who<  is  able  best  to 
carry  on  the  work  which  God  has  appointed  for  him  to  do. 

Every  day  that  is  lived  brings  some  change  to  the  character 
that  we  are  acquiring ;  either  it  is  strengthened  or  it  is  weak¬ 
ened  by  the  failure  to  measure  up  successfully. 

One  of  the  most  important  lessons  for  the  little  child  to 
learn  is  how  to  govern  self.  To  teach  this  a  teacher  should 
make  some  study  of  the  psychology  of  the  will,  and  under¬ 
stand  what  it  has  power  to  accomplish  if  it  is  correctly 
trained. 

In  the  lists  of  Christian  graces  which  are  mentioned  by 
Peter  and  Paul,  self-control  is  given.  Peter  had  to  go  a 
long  way  before  he  learned  to  bring  his  impetuous  nature 
into  a  condition  of  restraint ;  and  his  struggle  for  authority 
was  bitter,  indeed.  Paul  was  a  preeminent  example  of  one 
who  could  govern  himself. 

It  is  possible  to  say  “  I  will,”  because  of  a  clear  and  beau¬ 
tiful  ideal  of  that  which  is  right;  to  say  “No”  to  what  is 
wrong  not  because  of  the  fear  of  punishment,  but  because 
of  a  loathing  of  the  wrong.  This  is  what  we  wish  to  help 
the  children  to  be  able  to  do. 

We  are  to  have  several  lessons  taken  from  the  life  of 
David.  From  boyhood  he  pleased  God  by  choosing  the 
right.  But,  intermingled  with  his  story  was  the  story  of 
that  other  character,  Saul,  whose  life  was  such  a  distinct 


3 


4 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


failure  because  of  his  preeminent  lack  of  self-control.  Let 
us  tell  to-day  of  the  king  who  lost  all  his  brilliant  life-oppor¬ 
tunities  because  of  the  failure  to  control  “  self.” 

The:  Background  in  History 

For  many  years  Samuel  had  been  ruler  and  judge  over 
Israel,  giving  God’s  wishes  to  the  people  and  trying  to  teach 
and  lead  them  in  his  ways.  But  now  he  was  old.  The 
Philistines  were  troubling  the  land.  Samuel’s  sons  whom 
he  had  appointed  as  his  helpers  were  not  following  in 
their  father’s  ways,  but  “  turned  aside  after  lucre,  and  took 
bribes.” 

The  people  needed  a  strong  man  at  their  head.  They  sent 
representatives  to  Samuel  and  asked  for  a  king. 

At  first  Samuel  objected;  but  he  saw  the  need,  and  at  last 
he  yielded.  God  led  him  in  the  selection  of  the  new  ruler, 
and  Saul  was  the  choice.  He  was  a  young  man  of  unusual 
physical  charm,  a  country  boy,  who  had  proved  that  he  had 
qualities  that  fitted  him  to  be  a  leader.  The  story  of  his 
failure  to  fulfill  these  promising  opportunities  because  of 
the  lack  of  self-control  cannot  help  but  impress  the  children. 

The:  Story 

Saul’s  father  was  a  farmer  and  he  had  a  great  many  ani¬ 
mals  ;  amongst  them  was  a  drove  of  donkeys.  One  day  they 
got  away  and  were  lost.  They  could  be  found  nowhere  on 
the  farm. 

“  The  donkeys  are  lost,  my  son.  I  wish  you  would  take 
one  of  the  servants  along  with  you  and  go  find  them,”  said 
the  father. 

Saul  was  a  fine,  tall  young  man,  and  was  always  ready 
to  help  his  father,  who  loved  him  so  well  and  had  done  so 
much  for  him. 

The  father,  whose  name  was  Kish,  was  a  rich  man,  and 
had  plenty  of  servants  to  do  his  bidding.  So  he  called  one 
of  his  most  trustworthy  servants,  partly  in  order  to  help 
with  the  work  of  bringing  back  the  donkeys,  partly  in  order 
to  look  after  his  son,  who  was  very  dear  to  him. 

Saul  and  the  servant  hunted  all  that  day  and  the  next  and 
the  next — three  days — but  they  could  find  no  trace  of  the 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


5 


donkeys.  They  looked  all  over  the  mountains,  but  the  ani¬ 
mals  were  nowhere  to  be  seen. 

“  My  father  will  be  worried  about  us,”  said  Saul  to  his 
servant.  “  He  will  stop  :aring  for  the  donkeys,  and  be 
anxious  about  us.  Come,  let  us  go  home.” 

“  Let  us  first  go  to  Samuel,  the  seer,  and  ask  him  how  to 
find  your  father’s  donkeys.  Perhaps  he  can  tell  us,”  said 
the  servant. 

They  talked  together  for  some  time,  and  soon  decided  to 
go.  This  was  to  be  a  very  wonderful  day  for  Saul,  but  he 
did  not  know  it  then. 

By  and  by  they  reached  the  house  of  Samuel  the  seer.  He 
asked  Saul  into  his  house  and  talked  to  him  kindly.  During 
the  visit  he  told  Saul  that  the  drove  of  donkeys  had  been 
found. 

He  bade  his  own  servant  make  a  feast  for  the  young  man. 
When  the  dinner  was  ready  he  treated  Saul  as  if  he  was  a 
very  honored  guest,  and  gave  the  very  best  to  him. 

Before  Saul  went  away  Samuel  took  him  up  to  the  cool, 
pleasant  room  at  the  top  of  the  house  and  talked  again  to 
him. 

He  said  a  very  wonderful  thing:  Saul,  this  young  man 
who  had  always  lived  in  the  country  on  his  father’s  farm, 
was  one  day  to  be  chosen  king ! 

King  over  the  land  of  Israel !  The  people  needed  a  king, 
a  strong,  good  king  who  would  help  them  in  battle  when 
their  enemies,  the  Philistines,  came  to  spoil  their  land ;  a 
king  who  would  set  them  a  splendid  example !  Saul  would 
have  the  chance  to  be  all  this  to  his  people. 

Saul  went  home.  He  lived  there  and  helped  his  father 
just  as  he  always  had  done. 

But  the  years  passed  on,  and  there  came  a  day  when  the 
land  rang  with  the  glad  cry :  “  Long  live  the  king !  Long 
live  the  king !  ”  and  the  tall,  splendid  young  man  began  to 
reign  over  his  people. 

For  a  long  time  all  went  well,  and  the  whole  land  was 
happy.  God  was  well  pleased  because  the  king  and  the 
people  were  obedient. 

But  by  and  by  things  began  to  change.  The  king  wanted 
his  own  way.  He  was  not  willing  to  listen  to  the  advice  of 
'Samuel,  who  was  older  and  wiser  than  he.  God  told  Samuel 


6 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


his  wishes,  and  Samuel  told  to  the  king  and  to  the  people 
what  God  wanted  them  to  do. 

But  King  Saul  wanted  his  own  way.  Sometimes  he  dis¬ 
obeyed  Samuel.  He  could  not  wait  when  he  wanted  to  do 
certain  things. 

If  he  was  crossed  he  became  angry.  He  would  lose  his 
temper  in  a  way  shameful  for  a  king.  Servants  and  friends 
were  afraid  of  the  angry  man. 

When  a  man  or  a  woman  or  even  a  little  child  cannot 
manage  himself ;  when  he  cannot  obey  those  whom  he  should 
obey ;  when  he  grows  sulky  and  angry  and  cruel  when  he 
cannot  have  his  own  way;  when  he  cannot  say  “  No  ”  to  the 
wrong,  we  say  he  has  no  “  self-control.”  He  cannot  manage 
himself. 

King  Saul  could  not  control  himself. 

Over  and  over  Samuel  warned  him,  and  told  him  that 
evil  would  surely  come  to  him  and  to  his  people.  But  Saul 
did  not  heed. 

One  day  the  whole  country  was  astir.  The  Philistines 
were  coming !  The  Philistines  were  the  enemies  of  the  land. 
They  stole ;  they  burned  the  houses ;  they  troubled  the  people 
in  many  ways. 

The  king  gathered  a  great  army.  Samuel  told  him  just 
what  to  do  if  he  gained  the  victory.  One  of  the  things  that 
God  wished  the  king  to  do  was  to  destroy  all  the  goods  that 
were  taken — everything. 

God  helped  the  king  to  gain  the  victory ;  the  Philistines 
were  beaten. 

Now  the  Philistines  owned  many  things  that  were  valu¬ 
able,  but  God  had  said  they  must  be  destroyed,  everything. 
Saul  must  not  take  anything  that  had  belonged  to  these 
wicked  people. 

Saul  saw  the  valuable  things  and  he  wanted  them. 

He  ought  to  have  been  able  to  say  to  himself :  “  I  will 
destroy  these  things  and  get  them  out  of  the  land,  because 
God  has  told  me  to  do  so.  I  will  obey  God.  I  will  do  what 
is  well  pleasing  to  God.” 

Instead  of  controlling  his  greediness,  he  and  his  people 
kept  the  best  of  the  sheep  and  the  oxen  and  the  lambs,  and 
some  of  the  other  good  things.  They  destroyed  only  that 
which  was  bad. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


7 


God  was  displeased.  He  said  to  Samuel,  “  I  am  sorry  that 
I  have  made  Saul  the  king.” 

Samuel  went  to  Saul  the  next  morning. 

Saul  came  to  meet  him  and  said,  “  I  have  obeyed  the  com¬ 
mandments  of  God.” 

“  What  then  meaneth  this  bleating  of  the  sheep  that  I 
hear?  What  is  this  lowing  of  the  oxen?  ”  asked  Samuel. 

The  king  was  not  brave  enough  to  tell  the  whole  truth 
and  bear  the  blame  himself.  “  The  people  spared  the  best  of 
the  sheep  and  of  the  oxen  to  sacrifice  to  God,”  he  said. 

Samuel  said,  “  Stay,  and  I  will  tell  thee  what  God  hath 
said  to  me  this  night.”  Then  Samuel  reminded  Saul  of  all 
that  God  had  done  for  him,  how  he  had  given  him  the 
chance  of  becoming  king  and  of  helping  the  people  to  serve 
God  and  to  grow  to  be  a  wonderful  nation. 

“  God  told  you  to  destroy  everything  that  these  wicked 
people  had.  Thou  didst  not  obey.” 

“  But  the  people  saved  the  best  to  make  sacrifices  to  God,” 
said  Saul. 

“  God  wishes  obedience.  You  wished  your  own  way.  You 
rebelled  ;  and  you  were  stubborn. 

“  Because  you  cannot  rule  yourself  God  does  not  wish 
you  to  be  king.” 

And  thus  Saul  lost  his  great  chance  and  not  so  very  long 
afterwards  the  opportunity  was  given  to  some  one  else. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON  ABOUT  SELE-CONTROL 

(Copy  these  verses  on  the  blackboard  and  let  the  children 
read  them.  Help  over  difficult  places.) 

“  Even  a  child  maketh  himself  known  by  his  doings, 

Whether  his  work  be  pure,  and  whether  it  be  right.” 

— Proverbs  20:11. 

“  He  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than  the  mighty ; 

And  he  that  ruleth  his  spirit,  than  he  that  taketh  a  city.” 

— Proverbs  16:32. 

“  He  whose  spirit  is  without  restraint 

Is  like  a  city  that  is  broken  down  and  without  walls.” 

— Proverbs  25  :28. 


8 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  A  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath ; 

But  a  grievous  word  stirreth  up  anger.” 

— Proverbs  15:1. 

“Ye  shall  walk  in  all  the  way  which  Jehovah  your  God 
hath  commanded  you.” — Deuteronomy  5  :33a. 

i 

PRAYER 

Dear  Father,  we  know  that  everyone  can  look  for  ways  of 
pleasing  thee. 

We  know  that  the  best  way  to  please  thee  is  to  do  what 
is  good  and  pure  and  right.  Help  us  to  rule  ourselves. 
Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Write  one  sentence  about  Saul,  the  king  who  lost  his 
chance. 

Try  to  do  two  special  things  this  week  which  are  generous 
or  brave  or  kind. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

DAVID  AND  HIS  SHEEP 
I  Samuel  16:11,  12a;  17:12-15,  34-37 
Memory  Verse 

“  Be  ye  kind  one  to  another.” — Ephesians  4 :32a. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

We  tell  at  length  to  the  children  the  story  of  God  the 
Father  and  his  unceasing  care  and  constant  gifts.  But  with 
this  story  we  must  give  a  clear  understanding  to  the  pupils 
that  they  themselves  should  make  a  proper  response  to  God, 
that  they  may  show  their  answering  love  by  means  of  actions 
which  will  please  him.  Help  him  to  see  that  their  connec¬ 
tion  with  God  is  very  like  that  between  a  loving  earthly  par¬ 
ent  and  his  child. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


9 


Let  us  aim  to  show  that  one  of  the  chief  means  of  pleas¬ 
ing  God  is  through  right  action.  We  wish  to  help  the  child 
“  to  will  ”  to  do  right  because  he  wants  to  please  his  heav¬ 
enly  Father. 

To  put  him  in  this  “  willing  ”  state  of  mind  and  heart  we 
must  place  before  his  intellect  pictures  of  those  who  have 
thus  pleased  God.  Several  stories  from  the  life  of  David 
have  been  selected  for  their  example. 

Facts  from  David's  Boyhood 

Bethlehem,  one  of  the  oldest  towns  of  Palestine,  was 
David’s  birthplace.  A  conception  of  the  peaceful  little  town 
amongst  the  hills  may  be  found  by  reading  the  Book  of 
Ruth ;  there  a  beautiful  account  of  the  pastoral  life  of  the 
people  is  given.  The  lovely  Moabitess  was  a  great-grand¬ 
mother  of  David. 

His  father  was  Jesse,  a  man  of  some  wealth,  whose  means 
consisted  of  flocks  of  sheep  which  were  pastured  on  the  hill¬ 
sides.  David  was  the  youngest  son  of  a  family  of  ten  chil¬ 
dren,  eight  boys  and  two  girls. 

Several  of  the  older  brothers  were  soldiers  in  the  army 
of  their  king.  It  was  the  duty  of  this  young  boy  to  watch 
the  sheep  and  take  care  of  them.  He  was  a  shepherd. 

He  was  a  fine-looking  lad,  with  ruddy  cheeks  and  sunny 
hair.  His  eyes  were  bright  with  health,  keen  intellect,  and 
goodness  of  heart.  His  face  was  bronzed  by  the  outdoor 
air,  and  his  body  strong  and  straight. 

His  life  was  lonely  but  interesting;  he  loved  his  sheep, 
and  protected  them  against  robbers  and  wild  animals,  both 
of  which  often  lurked  in  the  abundant  hiding  places  amongst- 
the  rocks. 

At  this  time  Israel  was  under  the  rule  of  Saul,  the  first 
king.  But  the  ruler  who  had  begun  so  brilliantly  had  failed 
both  his  God  and  his  people.  The  Philistines,  the  dreaded 
enemy  of  Israel,  were  plundering  the  land  and  harassing  the 
people. 

The  young  boy  out  in  the  fields  with  the  sheep  was  being 
prepared  to  take  a  great  place  in  the  life  of  his  people  and 
his  country.  Daily  duties,  simple,  monotonous,  but  done  in 
the  right  way,  pleased  his  heavenly  Father  who  had  planned 
such  contrasting  days  to  follow. 


10 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Correlated  Material 

Use  the  Shepherd  Psalm  in  connection  with  these  stories 
about  David.  Teach  it  where  it  is  not  already  known.  Talk 
about  it  and  explain.  Give  recognition  and  reward  for  its 
memorization  in  part  or  whole. 

Talk  about  the  life  of  an  Oriental  shepherd,  for  example: 
naming  the  sheep;  the  sheepfold,  its  construction  and  gen¬ 
eral  appearance;  the  love  of  the  sheep  for  their  shepherd  and 
his  love  for  them;  the  equipment  of  the  shepherd — club, 
crook,  bottle  of  oil,  harp,  and  so  forth ;  the  bravery  of  the 
shepherd ;  the  timidity  of  the  sheep. 

Teach  a  good  song  about  the  shepherd  and  his  sheep,  for 
example : 

“  There’s  a  Fold  Both  Safe  and  Happy,”  from  “  The  Pri¬ 
mary  and  Junior  Hymnal.” 

“  Jesus,  Tender  Shepherd,”  from  “  The  Primary  and 
Junior  Hymnal.” 

“  The  Song  of  Our  Syrian  Guest  ”  may  be  reread  to  renew 
your  own  mental  picture  of  the  life  of  the  Oriental  shepherd. 

The  Story 

A  long,  long  time  ago  there  lived  a  boy  whose  name  was 
David. 

David’s  father  was  an  old  man,  and  he  had  a  large  family. 
There  were  eight  brothers  and  two  sisters,  ten  children  in  all. 

But  although  there  were  so  many  other  brothers,  the  good 
father  loved  this  little  son.  Indeed  he  loved  him  so  dearly 
that  he  called  him  “  darling.” 

The  three  oldest  brothers  were  grown-up  men,  and  were 
soldiers.  When  the  king  called  his  army  together,  they 
would  dress  in  their  soldier  clothes,  strap  on  their  shields, 
and  put  on  their  soldier  hats. 

They  would  bid  good-by  to  their  father  and  mother  and 
brothers  and  sisters  and  hurry  away. 

David  was  very  proud  of  his  tall,  straight  brothers. 

“  My  brother  Eliab  is  splendid  enough  to  be  a  king,”  the 
little  brother  would  think. 

The  big  brothers  and  all  the  other  soldiers  of  the  land  were 
often  called  to  go  out  to  battle  to  fight  the  Philistines.  The 
Philistines  were  the  enemies  of  the  land  of  Israel.  They 
would  come  over  from  their  own  country  to  steal  the  sheep 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


U 


and  burn  the  houses  and  to  do  all  sorts  of  troublesome  things 
to  bother  the  people. 

All  round  about  the  little  town  of  Bethlehem  where  David 
lived,  were  lovely  hills  and  meadows  covered  with  soft  green 
grass.  Hundreds  and  hundreds  of  white  sheep  could  be 
seen  feeding  on  the  grass. 

There  were  shepherds  with  these  flocks  who  took  care  of 
them  and  led  them  from  place  to  place. 

David’s  father  owned  a  fine  flock  of  sheep,  for  he  was  a 
rich  man. 

David  was  the  shepherd  of  his  father’s  sheep. 

Every  morning  he  would  help  his  sheep  to  pass  the  gate 
of  the  fold,  one  by  one;  then  he  would  lead  them  to  the 
greenest  places  that  he  could  find  in  the  lovely  pasture 
ground. 

Sometimes  the  boy  wished  that  he  could  march  away  with 
his  three  tall,  splendid,  soldier  brothers  in  the  army  of  the 
king.  But  that  he  could  not  do,  because  he  was  too  young ; 
besides,  his  father  needed  his  help  with  the  flocks. 

How  those  sheep  loved  the  good  young  master  who  always 
spoke  so  kindly  to  them,  and  even  called  them  by  their 
names !  David  always  carried  a  long  staff  with  a  crook  on  the 
end  like  this.  (Illustrate  on  the  blackboard.)  With  it  he 
could  reach  over  the  flock  and  guide  the  sheep  more  easily ; 
sometimes  he  needed  it  when  a  sheep  wandered  away  among 
the  rocks  and  fell;  he  could  lift  the  little  animal  to  safety. 

He  also  carried  a  horn  of  oil  with  which  to  anoint  the 
hurt  and  bruised  feet  when  they  were  cut  with  stones  or 
briers.  David  always  carried  his  harp  along  with  him,  be¬ 
cause  he  cared  for  music.  When  he  was  quite  sure  that  his 
sheep  were  all  safe,  and  he  had  done  all  his  work  for  them, 
he  would  practice  on  his  harp. 

And  because  David  was  faithful  in  all  these  everyday 
things,  he  was  making  himself  ready  to  do  a  great  thing  that 
God  had  planned  for  him. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 
reading  lesson 

THE  TWENTY-THIRD  PSALM 

(Copy  portions  as  desired  on  the  blackboard.) 


12 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


SONG 

“  There’s  a  Fold  Both  Safe  and  Happy.” 

PRAYER 

Dear  heavenly  Father,  even  a  little  child  can  please  thee 
by  doing  right.  Every  day  we  may  find  some  little  thing  to 
do.  Help  us  to  remember  to  look  for  these  ways  of  pleasing 
thee.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 

Cut  out  a  shepherd  and  sheep  from  cardboard  patterns, 
and  set  up.  (Remember  to  draw  attention  to  the  fact  that 
the  shepherd  always  goes  before  and  leads  his  sheep.) 

Construct  a  sheepfold  and  set  up  in  the  sand  table. 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse  or  the  first  verse  of  the  Twenty- 
third  Psalm. 


BLACKBOARD  DECORATION 


t 


CHAPTER  II 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

DAVID  CONQUERING  HIS  TEMPER 
I  Samuel  25:1-35 
Memory  Verse 

“A  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath.” — Proverbs  15:1. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

Little  lessons  in  self-control  are  of  the  utmost  importance 
to  children  of  Primary  age.  To  be  able  to  manage  self  is  for 
them  temperance  in  a  superlative  degree. 

The  Bible  has  much  to  say  concerning  the  control  of  the 
tongue.  We  know  from  many  experiences  that 

“  He  that  is  soon  angry  will  deal  foolishly,” 
and 

“  He  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than  the  mighty.”  The 
first  Biblical  incident  dealing  with  uncontrolled  anger  and 
showing  to  what  evil  consequences  it  sometimes  leads  is  given 
in  the  story  of  Cain  and  Abel.  Again  in  the  story  of  Jacob’s 
older  sons  whose  jealous  anger  was  kindled  against  their 
brother  Joseph,  and  yet  again,  in  the  story  of  King  Saul  we 
have  pictures  of  lives  shadowed  by  the  results  of  uncon¬ 
trolled  natures. 

“  Doest  thou  well  to  be  angry?  ”  God  asked  Jonah. 

“  Cease  from  anger,  and  forsake  wrath,”  we  are 
admonished. 

David  was  an  example  of  a  controlled  nature ;  but  a  very 
human  incident  in  his  life  tells  how  once  he  lost  his  temper 
and  was  thereby  in  danger  of  committing  a  serious  sin.  A 
tactful  woman  who  had  learned  to  control  her  tongue  and 
temper  was  the  means  of  keeping  two  angry  men  apart. 

Study  the  story  well  and  you  will  be  able  to  hold  the  at¬ 
tention  of  your  pupils  from  introduction  to  conclusion. 

13 


14  PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

The  Historical  Setting 

Saul  was  king  over  Israel,  but  the  brilliantly  endowed  man 
had  not  lived  up  to  his  abilities.  David  had  been  an  inmate 
of  the  royal  family,  having  been  called  to  the  palace  to  play 
his  harp  with  the  hopes  that  his  unusual  musical  gift  would 
help  to  cheer  the  despondent  king. 

However,  he  had  had  to  flee  the  presence  of  Saul,  and 
went  to  hide  himself  amongst  the  caves  in  the  wilderness 
region  of  Judea. 

It  was  a  wild,  picturesque  life.  David  was  winsome  by 
nature,  and  he  soon  attracted  about  him  other  men  who 
were  fugitives  for  one  reason  and  another ;  he  became  their 
leader.  In  time  he  had  about  him  a  considerable  following 
of  loyal,  “  mighty  men,”  who  were  true  to  him. 

They  lived  as  best  they  could,  oftentimes  receiving  dona¬ 
tions  from  the  herdsmen  of  the  locality.  In  return  for  the 
frequent  donations  of  food,  David  and  his  “  mighty  men  ” 
rendered  protection  to  the  herdsmen  and  their  flocks.  In 
this  way  there  was  a  mutual  understanding.  One  of  the 
most  prosperous  of  these  herdsmen  was  Nabal,  who'  owned 
great  numbers  of  flocks.  He  dwelt  in  the  town  of  Maon, 
about  one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  town  of  Carmel.  He 
was  a  man  with  a  cross-grained  nature,  disliked  by  his  serv¬ 
ants  and  all  who  had  dealings  with  him. 

The  wife  of  Nabal  was  a  beautiful  woman  named  Abigail. 


Preparation  for  the  Story 

This  story  is  so  clearly  connected  with  the  two  preceding 
stories  that  it  will  be  well  to  spend  a  few  minutes  in  review¬ 
ing  the  story  about  David  and  his  sheep  and  the  story  about 
the  king  who  lost  his  chance,  in  order  to  establish  the  few 
facts  already  told  about  the  two  characters.  Write  the 
names  upon  the  blackboard  and  have  the  children  repeat 
them  and  recognize  their  written  form 


The  Story 

When  anyone  loses  his  temper  and  becomes  very,  very 
angry,  somehow  it  is  easier  for  that  unhappy  thing  to  hap- 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS  IS 

pen  again.  It  is  still  easier  the  third  time,  and  it  becomes 
easier  and  easier. 

It  is  this  way  even  with  a  king.  King  Saul  could  not  keep 
his  temper.  He  lost  his  temper  so  many  times  that  after  a 
while  he  was  not  fit  to  be  a  king. 

His  family  and  the  people  in  the  palace  were  sorry  for 
him,  because  everyone  is  miserable,  perfectly  miserable  after 
he  has  been  ugly  and  bad  and  ill-tempered.  Saul  was  mis¬ 
erable  and  unhappy.  Even  the  servants  were  sorry  for  him. 

Some  one  said,  “  Perhaps  beautiful  music  will  make  the 
king  happy.” 

Then  some  one  else  said,  “  There  is  a  young  man  who  can 
play  the  harp  so  well  that  he  makes  you  think  about  the 
brooks  and  the  birds  and  the  bees.” 

“  Yes,”  said  another,  “  you  think  you  are  listening  to  the 
birds  themselves.” 

“  The  music  that  this  young  man  plays  makes  you  forget 
all  your  troubles,”  said  another. 

“  Who  is  this  young  man  ?  ”  asked  some  one. 

“  His  name  is  David.  He  is  a  shepherd,”  answered  the 
second  man  who  had  spoken. 

“  Send  for  him,”  commanded  King  Saul. 

So  they  sent  for  David,  and  he  left  his  sheep  and  went 
to  the  palace  with  his  harp. 

They  brought  him  into  the  room  where  King-  Saul  was. 
It  was  dark  and  gloomy  because  the  king  himself  was 
gloomy  and  sad. 

David  struck  some  beautiful  notes  on  his  harp.  He  swept 
his  hands  over  the  strings. 

By  and  by  it  seemed  as  if  the  room  were  filled  with  the 
twitterings  of  little  birds,  and  the  babbling  of  a  little  brook 
as  it  flowed  over  the  pebbles.  Presently  the  king  thought  he 
could  hear  the  hum  of  happy  bees  as  they  gathered  pollen 
from  the  sweet  flowers. 

The  cross,  sad  look  left  his  face. 

“  Open  the  window  !  Let  the  sunshine  in  !  ”  he  exclaimed. 

His  face  began  to  look  more  as  it  had  looked  the  day  when 
the  crown  was  placed  upon  his  head. 

Then  David  was  asked  to  come  live  in  the  palace  so  that 
he  could  often  play  for  King  Saul.  And  many,  many  times 


16 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


the  beautiful  music  of  David’s  harp  helped  to  drive  away  the 
king’s  bad  temper. 

If  this  had  lasted  all  would  have  been  well.  But  a  bad 
habit  is  very  hard  to  break,  and  bad  temper  is  one  of  the 
hardest.  The  king  was  kinder  and  better  for  a  while,  and 
then  he  began  to  lose  control  of  his  temper  again. 

He  even  became  jealous  and  angry  and  mean  toward  poor 
David.  He  threatened  to  kill  him.  It  was  no  longer  safe 
for  David  to  live  in  the  palace. 

One  day  King  Saul  was  so  bad-tempered  and  angry  that 
David  ran  away  from  the  palace  to  save  his  life.  He  went 
to  a  lonely  wilderness  place  and  lived  in  the  caves. 

He  liked  the  wild,  free  life;  his  arms  grew  strong,  and 
his  face  became  tanned.  His  body  was  tall  and  straight. 

By  and  by  he  made  friends  with  other  men  who  had  gone 
to  live  in  the  desert.  They  liked  David.  All  the  men  could 
shoot  with  bows  and  arrows,  but  David  could  shoot  the  best 
of  all.  He  was  their  leader. 

They  made  friends  with  the  shepherds  who  took  care  of 
the  sheep  on  the  hillsides.  They  liked  the  shepherds,  and  the 
shepherds  liked  them.  Oftentimes  David  and  his  men  shot 
the  bears  and  the  wolves  that  came  prowling  about,  or  drove 
away  the  robbers  who  sneaked  up  to  steal  a  sheep  or  a  lamb. 

The  name  of  one  of  these  shepherds  was  Nabal.  He  had 
so  many  sheep  and  goats  that  he  was  quite  a  rich  man. 
Many  times  David  and  his  men  had  driven  off  the  robbers 
and  the  wild  beasts,  and  had  helped  Nabal  and  his  servants. 

But  Nabal  was  not  a  good  man ;  he  was  selfish  and  cross ; 
sometimes  he  drank  wine  and  became  drunk.  One  day 
David  and  his  men  were  hungry.  David  remembered  that 
he  had  been  kind  to  Nabal,  and  he  supposed  that  the  herds¬ 
man  would  be  kind  in  return.  He  said  to  one  of  his  men : 
“  Go  give  Nabal  my  greetings.  Remind  him  that  we  have 
been  glad  to  help  him.  Ask  him  if  now  he  will  give  us  a  bit 
of  food.” 

Ten  of  David’s  young  men  went  to  Nabal  and  gave  the 
message,  and  the  cross-tempered  man  answered :  “  Who  is 
David?  There  are  many  servants  nowadays  who  run  away 
from  their  masters.  He  may  be  one.  Am  I  to  take  my 
bread  and  meat  and  drink  that  I  have  prepared  for  my  sheep- 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


17 


shearers,  and  give  to  men  of  whom  I  know  nothing  ?  ”  and 
he  would  not  give  the  young  men  a  crumb. 

The  men  went  back  with  the  ugly  message,  and  David  was 
very,  very  angry.  He  did  not  stop  for  anything,  even  to 
think,  but  he  seized  his  sword. 

“  Get  your  swords,  and  come !  ”  he  cried.  “  We  have 
taken  care  of  that  fellow  and  all  that  he  has !  Now  he  re¬ 
turns  evil  for  good  !  We  will  kill  him  and  all  his  servants !  ” 

Four  hundred  soldiers  put  on  their  swords,  while  two 
hundred  stayed  to  guard  the  camp. 

Now  one  of  Nabal’s  young  servants  heard  what  angry 
David  and  his  soldiers  intended  to  do.  He  went  to  Nabal’s 
wife,  Abigail,  and  said :  “  Captain  David  sent  messengers 
to  our  master,  and  he  railed  at  them.  The  captain  and  his 
soldiers  have  been  very  kind  to  us :  they  were  good  to  us 
always  when  we  kept  the  sheep.  Our  master  is  such  a  man 
that  no  one  can  speak  to  him.  David  is  now  angry  and  is 
coming  with  his  soldiers  to  kill  the  master  and  all  of  us !  ” 

Abigail  knew  how  to  keep  her  temper.  She  hoped  to  quiet 
David's  anger,  and  to  save  her  husband  and  the  servants. 
She  quickly  took  two  hundred  loaves  of  bread,  some  meat, 
some  parched  grain,  a  hundred  clusters  of  raisins,  and  two 
hundred  cakes  of  figs.  She  loaded  all  this  food  on  her 
donkeys.  Then  she  said  to  her  servants :  “  Go'  on  ahead.  I 
will  follow  you.” 

As  she  rode  round  a  hill,  she  met  David  and  his  soldiers. 
He  was  very,  very  angry.  But  Abigail  hurried  to  meet  him. 
She  began  speaking  to  him  in  a  quiet,  friendly  voice;  she 
told  him  of  the  gift  she  had  brought.  “  Let  the  food  be 
given  to  thy  young  men,”  she  said.  “  But  do  not  do  such  an 
evil  deed  as  thou  hast  planned  against  Nabal.  God  hath 
kept  thee  from  the  sin  of  shedding  his  blood.  God  hath  kept 
thee  from  this  murder.  Forgive!  The  Lord  will  certainly 
reward  thee.  And  when  God  hath  done  all  the  good  things 
that  he  will  do  for  thee,  thou  wilt  not  have  to  grieve  that 
thou  hast  killed  Nabal.” 

David’s  anger  and  bad  temper  faded  away  in  a  moment. 
He  said  to  Abigail :  “  I  thank  God  that  he  hath  sent  thee  to 
me  to-day.  I  am  thankful  for  thy  advice.  Thou  hast  kept 
me  from  shedding  blood.  If  thou  hadst  not  come,  I  would 


18 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


have  killed  Nabal  and  all  his  servants. ”  Then  David  re¬ 
ceived  the  gifts  and  thanked  Abigail,  and  she  went  home. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 
Continue  work  upon  the  Twenty-third  Psalm. 

Let  the  children  sing  the  hymn  that  you  used  in  connection 
with  last  week’s  lesson  and  the  Twenty- third  Psalm. 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  A  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath.” — Proverbs  15:1. 

“  He  that  is  slow  to  anger  is  better  than  the  mighty ; 

And  he  that  ruleth  his  spirit,  than  he  that  taketh  a  city.” 

— Proverbs  16:32. 

“  The  north  wind  bringeth  forth  rain : 

So  doth  a  backbiting  tongue  an  angry  countenance.” 

— Proverbs  25  :23. 

(Explain  and  illustrate  with  an  incident.) 

“  Wrath  is  cruel.” — Proverbs  27 :4a. 

“  Be  not  hasty  in  thy  spirit  to  be  angry.” 

— Ecclesiastes  7 :9a. 


PRA\  ER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  know  how  wrong  it  is  to  lose  our 
temper.  We  know  that  an  angry  person  is  apt  to  do  very 
sinful  things.  Help  us  to  govern  our  tempers.  We  will  try 
to  do  this  because  that  is  one  way  of  pleasing  thee.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse  or  one  of  the  verses  in  the  Bible 
Reading  Lesson. 

Let  one  of  the  children  represent  an  Oriental  shepherd. 
This  child  may  choose  several  others  to  be  the  sheep.  Let 
these  children  act  out  a  day  in  an  Oriental  shepherd’s  life. 

Ask  the  children  to  make  one  special  effort  to  control 
“  temper  ”  during  the  week  and  to  notice  what  comes  of  it. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


19 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

FOUR  YOUNG  MEN  CHOOSING  THE  RIGHT 
(TEMPERANCE  LESSON) 

Daniel,  chapter  1 
Memory  Verse 

“  Be  not  drunken  with  wine.” — Ephesians  5  :18a. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

At  this  time  Babylon  was  the  overwhelming  menace  to 
Israel.  Nebuchadnezzar  was  king,  and,  as  his  father  had 
recently  died,  was  just  assuming  the  entire  charge  of  the 
land. 

The  Jews  were  proving  themselves  unable  to  resist  the 
Babylonians,  for  they  had  become  weakened  by  sin  and  dis¬ 
obedience.  Prophecy  was  being  fulfilled  and  they  were  being 
conquered  by  their  powerful  enemy. 

The  incident  occurred  during  the  first  deportation  of  the 
Jews  from  the  homeland  to  Babylon.  A  number  of  the 
princes  and  first  families  of  the  land  were  seized  as  pris¬ 
oners  and  hostages  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  as  was  his  custom. 

This  king  often  selected  the  brightest,  most  attractive,  and 
youngest  of  his  prisoners  tO'  be  trained  under  special  masters 
to  become  later  on  his  own  particular  servants.  He  delighted 
to  have  among  these  captives  the  most  highly  born,  the  best 
of  the  conquered  land. 

They  were  taught  the  difficult  Babylonian  language  and 
also  something  of  astrology  and  astronomy.  They  were 
given  dainty  food  and  fine  clothing,  and  trained  to  become 
expert  in  all  the  ways  of  the  court  life. 

Many  remarkable  relics  of  the  wonderful  old  city  of 
Babylon  have  been  found,  so  that  an  interesting  mental  pic¬ 
ture  can  be  formed  of  what  that  court  life  must  have  been. 
It  was  a  city  of  beautiful  palaces  and  good  houses ;  of  public 
buildings,  bridges,  and  canals.  It  was  the  greatest  city  of 
the  world  at  the  time  when  Daniel  and  his  three  companions 
were  taken  there  as  captive  lads. 

It  was  a  walled  city,  the  space  inclosed  being  at  least  ten 
square  miles.  These  walls  were  built  up  from  moats  and 


20 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


above  them  at  intervals  rose  lofty  towers.  It  has  been  re¬ 
corded  that  the  walls  were  broad  enough  at  the  top  to  be 
used  as  streets  and  that  chariots  drawn  by  four  horses  could 
pass  one  another  as  they  were  driven  along. 

The  king’s  palace  is  supposed  to  have  covered  an  area  of 
thirty-seven  acres.  One  of  the  seven  wonders  of  the  world 
was  the  beautiful  hanging  garden  which  Nebuchadnezzar 
built  for  his  wife,  a  Median  princess  who  longed  for  the 
hills  of  her  father’s  land.  Babylon  was  built  upon  a  plateau 
and  was  flat.  The  king  ordered  his  laborers  to  build  tiers  of 
strong  masonry,  thus  producing  a  hill-like  structure  of  ter¬ 
race  upon  terrace.  This  was  covered  with  earth  and  planted 
with  trees  and  rare  flowers  that  had  been  collected  from 
all  parts  of  the  known  world.  Little  streams  trickled 
through  the  gardens,  and  the  music  of  fountains  added  a 
touch  of  loveliness. 

Many  of  the  houses  were  large,  and  three  or  four  stories 
in  height.  The  buildings  were  remarkable  for  their  bril¬ 
liant  mural  decorations. 

The  Babylonian  divinity  was  Bel,  probably  the  same  as 
Baal,  and  the  temple  dedicated  to  his  worship  was  a  magni¬ 
ficent  structure,  compared  with  which  even  the  Temple  at 
Jerusalem  was  secondary. 

The  Story 

It  was  dinner  time,  and  there  was  a  group  of  boys  in 
Babylon  who  were  hungry.  They  had  been  studying  hard 
all  the  morning,  so  it  was  no  wonder  they  were  hungry. 

One  of  their  lessons  was  learning  the  hard  language  that 
was  spoken  by  the  king  and  the  people  of  the  land.  These 
boys  were  not  living  in  their  own  dear  city  of  Jerusalem. 
They  were  captives.  They  had  been  stolen  by.  the  king. 

One  day  not  very  long  before,  King  Nebuchadnezzar  and 
his  soldiers  had  come  marching  to  Jerusalem.  The  people 
of  Jerusalem  had  closed  the  gates  and  locked  them. 

But  King  Nebuchadnezzar  and  his  soldiers  banged  at  the 
walls  with  battering-rams  until  the  stones  broke  loose  and 
tumbled  down.  vSome  of  the  soldiers  climbed  on  the  walls 
and  shot  their  arrows.  They  threw  torches  over  and  fired 
the  houses. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


21 


The  people  fought  bravely,  but  the  strange  soldiers  stayed 
so  long  that  the  food  gave  out.  They  lost  their  courage,  and 
the  soldiers  entered  the  city ! 

Nebuchadnezzar  stole  some  of  the  people,  even  the  boys 
and  girls.  Daniel  and  three  of  his  friends  were  among 
those  who  were  marched  away  to  the  strange  city  of  the 
great,  strong  King  Nebuchadnezzar. 

It  was  a  beautiful  city  with  tall  houses  and  beautiful  gar¬ 
dens  and  fine  streets  and  bridges  and  fountains.  But  it  was 
not  Jerusalem!  Daniel  and  his  friends  loved  Jerusalem. 

“  Ashpenaz !  ”  called  the  king  to  one  of  his  chief  servants. 
“  Take  care  of  these  young  princes.  Teach  them  the  lan¬ 
guage.  Teach  them  all  the  ways  of  the  court.  Feed  them 
with  dainties  from  my  own  table.  Give  them  good  clothes 
to  wear.” 

“  I  will  do  as  the  king  commands,”  said  Ashpenaz  meekly. 

“  They  are  good-looking  lads,”  said  the  king.  “  They 
will  be  good  servants  for  me  by  and  by.  Feed  them  well. 
Keep  them  for  three  years,  then  bring  them  to  me,”  he 
commanded. 

“  It  shall  be  as  the  king  commands,”  said  Ashpenaz,  and 
he  bowed  his  face  to  the  ground.  Then  he  left  the  king  and 
went  to  take  care  of  Daniel  and  the  other  boys  as  the  king 
had  directed. 

What  a  good  dinner  was  spread  before  those  boys !  They 
were  hungry ;  for  the  lessons  had  been  long.  The  new 
words  of  the  king’s  language  were  hard  to  speak. 

But  when  Daniel  looked,  he  saw  wine,  and  also  food  that 
he  never  had  been  allowed  to  eat  at  his  home ;  he  had  been 
taught  that  it  is  wrong  to  eat  certain  kinds  of  rich  food, 
which  had  been  offered  to  idols. 

Here  was  a  time  when  a  choice  must  be  made:  should 
Daniel  and  his  three  friends  eat  and  drink  what  they  knew 
their  fathers  had  taught  them  was  wrong  and  displeasing  to 
God,  or  should  they  say  “No”?  Daniel  and  his  friends 
knew  what  it  might  mean  to  refuse  the  food ;  they  knew  the 
sort  of  man  the  king  was,  who  had  made  them  prisoners. 
Yet  at  last  they  decided  for  the  right. 

“  We  cannot  drink  the  wine,  nor  eat  the  rich  food,”  Daniel 
said  as  well  as  he  could  to  Ashpenaz. 

But  even  though  the  chief  servant  liked  the  handsome 


22 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


young  prisoners,  when  he  learned  that  Daniel  and  his  friends 
did  not  want  to  eat  the  food,  he  exclaimed :  “  The  king  sent 
you  this  food!  I  dare  not  let  you  refuse  to  eat  it.  If  you 
do  not  eat,  you  will  grow  thin  and  weak.  The  king  will  find 
it  out.  You  will  make  me  lose  my  head !  ” 

Then  Daniel  said:  “Try  us  for  ten  days.  Give  us  heans 
to  eat  and  water  to  drink.  Look  at  us  then  and  see  if  we 
are  any  less  fair  than  the  other  boys  who  eat  the  king’s 
dainties.  Try  us  ten  days.” 

Daniel’s  coaxing  won ;  the  servant  gave  him  his  way  for 
ten  days,  and  the  four  boys  ate  plain  beans,  and  drank  water. 
At  the  end  of  the  time,  the  servant  was  amazed  to  see  that 
Daniel  and  his  three  friends  were  fairer  and  fatter  than  all 
the  other  boys. 

God  was  pleased  because  Daniel  did  right,  and  he  helped 
the  four  boys.  Their  teacher  was  very  proud  tO'  lead  them  to 
the  king  at  the  end  of  the  three  years.  When  the  king  looked 
at  the  four  young  men  he  was  satisfied ;  they  were  able  to 
answer  all  his  questions,  and  the  king  gave  them  fine  places 
in  his  court. 


After  the  Lesson 

Talk  for  a  few  minutes  about  the  good  and  simple  food 
that  God  has  given,  and  refer  to  the  sins  of  gluttony  and 
drunkenness. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotionae  Service 

BIBEE  READING  EESSON 

“  Look  not  thou  upon  the  wine  when  it  is  red,  .  .  . 

At  the  last  it  biteth  like  a  serpent, 

And  stingeth  like  an  adder.’’ — Proverbs  23:31a,  32. 

“  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.” 

— Matthew  6:11. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  all  the  good  food  and 
pure  water  that  thou  hast  given  us.  We  thank  thee  for 
fathers  and  mothers  and  teachers  who  know  just  what  it  is 
best  for  us  to  eat  and  to  drink.  Help  us  to  remember  what 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


23 


is  best  as  well  as  did  Daniel  and  his  three  friends  in  the 
story.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  folder  and  mount  one  or  more  pictures  of  proper, 
simple  food.  (Fruits,  vegetables,  milk  and  so  forth.) 


CHAPTER  III 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

THE  STORY  OF  A  GUEST  ROOM 
II  Kings  4:8-11 
Memory  Verse 

“  Forget  not  to  show  love  unto  strangers.” 

— Hebrews  13:2a. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

At  this  time  Elisha  was  prophet  of  the  Kingdom  of  Israel. 
Unlike  his  predecessor  and  master,  Elijah,  he  dwelt  in  the 
cities,  and  enjoyed  the  companionship  which  life  in  the  more 
thickly  populated  regions  brought. 

On  some  of  his  journeys  amongst  the  towns  in  the  Jordan 
valley,  he  was  hospitably  entertained  at  the  village  of  Shu- 
nem  by  a  woman  who  owned  a  comfortable  home  and  was 
possessed  of  some  means.  The  story  for  to-day’s  lesson  tells 
how  she  and  her  husband  prepared  their  “  guest  room  ”  as 
a  resting  place  for  the  “  man  of  God.” 

A  great  deal  is  said  in  the  Bible  about  the  consideration 
which  we  owe  to  others,  to  the  “  strangers  ”  who  need. 
Elisha  was  an  example  of  a  man  who  spent  his  life  in  doing 
deeds  of  kindness,  in  serving  others. 

This  is  a  great  lesson  in  social  education,  a  lesson  which 
is  greatly  needed  to-day  by  the  Primary  child  and  by  all  of 
us.  Perhaps  never  before  has  the  need  for  the  interpretation 
of  the  Golden  Rule  been  so  great. 

Beeore  the  Story 

Draw  upon  the  blackboard  a  very  simple  picture  of  an 
Oriental  house,  showing  the  outside  stairway  and  the  upper 
room.  This  should  be  large  enough  for  all  the  pupils  to  see 


24 


PRIMARY  CPIURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


25 


easily.  Either  draw  or  have  paper  models  of  the  “  furni¬ 
ture  ”  placed  in  the  room.  (See  the  simple  line  drawings  at 
the  end  of  the  lesson.) 


The:  Story 

Once  upon  a  time  in  a  pleasant  valley  country  there  was 
a  comfortable  little  house  that  looked  something  like  this. 
(Blackboard  drawing.)  In  it  lived  a  good  woman  and  her 
husband. 

The  husband  was  a  farmer,  and  he  and  his  servants  tilled 
his  fields  and  planted  them  with  seed  and  gathered  in  the 
harvest  when  it  was  ripe. 

The  wife  kept  the  house.  There  was  a  big  stone  mill  in 
one  corner  of  her  home,  and  she  and  one  of  her  servants 
would  grind  the  grain  that  her  husband  had  raised.  She 
would  mix  the  fine  meal  into  cakes  and  bake  them. 

Olives  and  figs  and  grapes  grew  in  that  land,  so  when  the 
table  was  spread  with  the  good  fruit  and  cakes  the  farmer 
and  his  wife  had  a  feast  fit  for  a  king. 

Now  the  house  was  not  far  from  the  road,  and  the  farmer’s 
wife  could  easily  see  the  passers-by. 

Sometimes  the  travelers  would  look  tired  and  dusty,  for 
in  that  land  there  were  very  few  inns  or  places  where 
strangers  could  buy  food  or  drink,  and  rest  at  night. 

One  day  a  stranger  came  to  the  little  town ;  he  was  pass¬ 
ing  through  on  his  way  to  another  city. 

His  name  was  Elisha,  and  he  was  a  prophet.  That  is,  he 
was  one  of  the  great  and  good  men  to  whom  God  spoke  and 
told  his  wishes  to  give  to  the  people  in  that  long-ago  time  in 
Israel.  But  the  farmer’s  wife  did  not  know  this,  then. 

Elisha  looked  tired  and  hungry.  He  wore  low  shoes  with 
straps  called  sandals,  such  as  were  worn  in  that  country,  and 
his  feet  were  dusty.  He  leaned  heavily  upon  the  walking 
staff  that  he  carried. 

The  good  wife  thought  of  the  fresh,  sweet  cakes  that  she 
had  baked,  and  the  grapes  and  the  fruit  that  were  so  re¬ 
freshing. 

“  We  have  enough  and  to  spare,”  she  thought  to  herself. 
“  I  will  give  a  bit  to  this  tired-looking  traveler.  He  can  rest 
a  while  as  he  eats.” 


26 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Then  she  called  Elisha,  and  prepared  a  meal  for  him. 

After  that  day,  whenever  he  passed,  he  stopped  with  the 
farmer  and  his  wife,  and  he  was  always  sure  of  a  welcome. 

The  farmer  and  his  wife  shared  their  food,  but  they  felt 
that  they  received  as  much  as  they  gave,  for  they  were  so 
glad  to  hear  Elisha  talk  to  them. 

One  day  the  wife  said  to  her  husband :  “  We  know  that 
this  is  a  good  man,  God’s  servant,  who  passes  our  house  con¬ 
tinually.  Let  us  make  a  little  room,  I  pray  thee,  on  the 
wall.  (Indicate  on  the  drawing.)  We  will  put  in  the  room 
a  bed,  and  a  table,  and  a  stool,  and  a  candlestick.  Then  when 
it  pleases  him  to  pass  by,  he  may  always  be  welcome.” 

So  the  farmer  and  his  wife  built  the  room  and  furnished 
it.  It  was  a  pleasant  place,  high  over  the  other  part  of  the 
house.  An  outside  stairway  reached  from  the  ground  to  the 
door.  Through  the  windows  blew  the  cool,  fresh  breezes. 

It  was  no  wonder  that  Elisha  was  pleased  when  he  saw  it. 
Whenever  he  passed  through  the  town  he  went  there  to  rest. 


Suggestions  tor  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  Forget  not  to  show  love  unto  strangers.” 

— Hebrews  13:2a. 


“  Be  ye  kind 
“  Thou  shalt 


one  to  another.” 

— Ephesians 

love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.” 

— Matthew 


4 :32a. 
22 :39. 


THE  GOLDEN  RULE 

“  All  things  therefore  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  unto  you,  even  so  do  ye  also  unto  them.” 

— Matthew  7 :12. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  always  to  be  kind  to  those  whom 
we  meet  in  the  world  about  us.  Help  us  to  be  quick  to  see 
ways  of  helping  others ;  for  we  know  that  that  is  one  of  the 
best  ways  of  making  thee  glad.  Amen. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


27 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Construct  an  Oriental  house  from  two  pasteboard  boxes, 
one  considerably  smaller  than  the  other  to  be  placed  on  top 


of  the  larger,  representing  the  “  upper  room.”  Construct 
the  “  furniture  ”  from  cardboard,  using  the  cuts  given  below 
as  patterns. 

Blackboard  Drawings 


28 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Try  to  do  one  particularly  kind  act  to  a  little  companion, 
possibly  a  new  pupil  at  school  who  is  shy  and  unacquainted 
and  a  stranger. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

A  HUNGRY  WOMAN  SHARING  HER  BREAD 

I  Kings  17:8-16 
Memory  Verse 

“  God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver.” — II  Corinthians  9 :7c. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

Samaria  was  the  capital  city  of  the  Kingdom  of  Israel.  It 
was  beautifully  situated,  and  the  location  was  strategic  and 
well  protected,  a  round  hill,  with  steep  yet  accessible  sides, 
and  a  flat  top. 

Omri,  the  father  of  King  Ahab,  showed  great  wisdom 
when  he  chose  this  site.  “  And  he  bought  the  hill  Samaria 
of  Shemer  for  two  talents  of  silver;  and  he  built  on  the  hill, 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


29 


and  called  the  name  of  the  city  which  he  built,  after  the 
name  of  Shemer,  the  owner  of  the  hill,  Samaria.’’ 

At  this  time  Ahab  was  ruler  over  Israel.  A  beautiful  and 
imposing  palace  had  been  built,  and  the  king  was  continually 
adding  to  the  strength  and  splendor  of  the  city  in  material 
things.  However,  like  his  father,  he  “  did  that  which  was 
evil  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah.”  He  led  the  people  further 
and  further  from  the  standards  which  had  been  set  for  the 
nation. 

God  was  utterly  neglected,  and  it  is  recorded  that  Ahab 
was  the  most  evil  of  Israel’s  kings  up  to  that  time. 

He  married  Jezebel,  daughter  of  the  king  of  Sidon.  She 
was  an  intense  and  passionate  character,  forcing  her  strong 
personality  wherever  she  was.  She  was  a  Baal  worshiper 
and  brought  with  her  into  her  husband’s  land  her  idols  and 
beliefs,  and  all  the  evil  ceremonies  connected  with  the  Baal 
religion. 

Ahab  was  the  weaker  of  the  two  characters ;  he  became  a 
tool  in  her  hands,  and  adopted  her  religion.  A  gorgeous 
temple  to>  Baal  was  built  on  the  heights  of  Samaria ;  and  an 
immense  idol  of  this  god  placed  there.  Baal  worship  became 
the  religion  of  the  land  except  in  the  case  of  a  loyal  minority. 

Ahab  was  a  lover  of  luxury.  The  palace  was  a  sumptuous 
building,  containing  everything  that  would  gratify  the  senses. 

The  self-indulgent  king  naturally  became  an  example  for 
the  wealthy  and  highborn  of  the  land,  and  that  class  soon  lost 
the  sturdy  hardihood  and  physical  endurance  which  God  had 
given  his  people.  They  loaded  their  tables  with  costly  wines 
and  rich  food  which  were  served  by  menials.  The  whole  life 
tended  toward  a  condition  of  effeminacy. 

Queen  Jezebel  was  having  her  way,  but  Samaria  was  on 
the  downward  road. 

The:  Man  for  the:  Time: 

God  was  preparing  his  leader  to  meet  this  crisis.  Out  in 
the  desert  was  a  man  whose  life  had  been  a  striking  contrast 
to  all  that  the  court  of  Samaria  represented. 

The  appearance  of  Elijah  must  have  been  spectacular 
when  he  obeyed  God’s  command  and  betook  himself  to  the 
palace:  a  strong  man  clad  in  a  robe  of  skin,  a  man  whose 


30 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


rugged  face  showed  that  he  had  breathed  deep  of  the  pure 
air  of  the  wild,  and  was  stern  with  purpose. 

This  part  of  the  story  you  yourself  will  read  and  study : 
Read  I  Kings  16:29-33;  17:1-7;  chapters  18,  19.  The  story 
which  you  will  prepare  for  the  children  is  the  account  of 
Elijah’s  life  at  the  house  of  the  widow  of  Zarephath.  After 
giving  God’s  message  at  the  palace,  he  fled  to  the  brook 
Cherith  where  he  remained  in  hiding  to  escape  the  fury  of 
Ahab  and  his  queen.  Later  he  went  to  the  little  village  of 
Zarephath  where  this  incident  occurred. 

Before:  the:  Story 

Talk  to  the  children  for  a  few  minutes  about  the  stories 
to  which  they  have  been  listening — stories  about  doing  things 
to  please  God.  Get  them  to  tell  you  what  kind  of  things 
please  God.  Write  upon  the  blackboard  some  such  sentence 
as  RIGHT  THINGS  PLEASE  GOD.  Get  a  list  of  people 
who  pleased  God  by  doing  right  things.  (Joseph,  David, 
Elisha,  and  so  on.)  Possibly  in  some  classes  you  might  ob¬ 
tain  a  short  list  of  characters  other  than  those  mentioned  in 
the  Biblical  stories. 

Get  the  children  to  tell  you  what  these  right  things  were 
that  were  done  by  the  characters  named. 

Mention  the  fact  that  one  very  good  way  to  give  gladness 
to  God  is  by  SHARING  our  good  things  with  others,  espe¬ 
cially  when  it  is  a  little  hard  to  do  this.  Then  tell  your 
story. 


The  Story 

Once  upon  a  time  in  the  city  of  Zarephath  there  was  a 
little  boy  who  was  growing  so  thin  that  his  mother  was 
afraid  that  she  would  not  have  a  dear  little  child  very  long. 

Now  this  mother  would  have  been  glad  to  give  her  child 
a  good  drink  of  milk,  but  she  could  not  do  this,  for  she  had 
none.  She  would  have  been  glad  to  give  him  a  piece  of 
tender  meat,  and  a  dish  of  soup,  but  neither  could  she  do 
this,  for  there  was  no  meat  or  soup  in  the  house. 

She  had  not  even  a  bunch  of  grapes  or  a  fig  or  an  olive. 
She  would  have  been  glad  to  buy  any  of  these  things ;  but 
she  could  not.  There  was  a  famine  in  the  land.  Even  the 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSON! 


31 


richest  were  hungry.  There  was  very  little  to  eat  in  the 
palace  of  the  king. 

The  mother  had  a  jar  of  meal,  and  a  little  oil,  but  she  had 
been  trying  to  make  it  last.  She  herself  was  even  thinner 
than  her  boy. 

Every  day  when  she  went  to  the  meal  jar  she  thought  to 
herself :  “  It  will  soon  be  gone.  I  can  get  no  more.” 

Then  she  would  take  a  bit  and  mix  a  cake.  Each  day  the 
cakes  that  she  made  were  a  little  smaller. 

She  herself  would  stop  eating  while  she  was  still  very 
hungry  so  that  her  child  might  have  more. 

One  morning  she  saw  the  bottom  of  the  jar !  There  was 
enough  for  only  one  very  small  baking  left. 

“  I  will  go  out  by  the  city  gate,”  she  sighed  to  herself, 

“  and  gather  some  wood.  I  will  bake  the  last  cake.  Then 
my  little  boy  and  I  shall  die.” 

She  put  her  shawl  about  her  head  and  made  ready  to  go. 

“  I  will  make  you  a  cake  when  I  come  back,  my  dear,”  she 
said,  and  then  she  went  for  the  wood. 

Now  there  was  a  reason  for  the  dreadful  famine  which 
had  come  to  the  land.  There  was  a  reason  why  no  rain  fell 
and  there  was  no  grass  or  fruit,  or  grain  or  food  of  any 
kind. 

A  very  wicked  king  and  queen  ruled  the  land  of  Israel, 
and  they  had  led  the  people  into  sin.  God  had  said  that  he 
would  send  the  famine  to  punish  them,  if  they  did  not  obey 
and  turn  from  their  evil  ways.  They  still  persisted,  and 
the  famine  came.  Oh,  what  suffering  their  wickedness  had 
brought ! 

God  had  sent  his  servant,  Elijah,  to  warn  the  king  and 
queen  and  the  people  before  the  punishment  should  come ; 
but  they  had  not  listened.  Now  that  the  famine  had  come, 
the  king  and  queen  blamed  Elijah  for  it. 

The  two  wicked  people  were  so  angry  that  they  wanted 
to  find  Elijah  and  kill  him.  But  God  had  said :  “  Go  hide ! 

I  will  take  care  of  you.” 

Elijah  had  gone  to  live  among  the  rocks  by  the  side  of  a 
little  brook  for  a  while ;  here  he  had  water  to  drink,  and  the 
ravens  brought  him  food.  But  when  the  brook  dried  up,  . 
God  said :  “  Arise,  go  to  Zarephath ;  a  certain  good  woman 
lives  there.  She  will  feed  you.” 


32 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


So  Elijah  went;  it  was  a  long,  long,  long  way  from  the 
palace  of  the  bad  king,  and  he  was  very  tired  and  hungry 
when  he  reached  the  city  gate ! 

Now  Elijah  reached  there  just  at  the  time  the  woman  was 
gathering  her  sticks.  “  Please  bring  me  a  little  water  to 
drink,”  he  called  to  her  in  a  tired  voice. 

The  woman  was  sorry  for  the  poor  man,  and  she  started 
to  get  the  water.  Then  he  called  again,  “  And,  oh,  I  beg  of 
thee,  bring  me  a  little  piece  of  bread !  ” 

“  I  cannot  do  that,”  said  the  woman.  “  I  have  not  a  cake. 
I  have  left  only  a  handful  of  meal  in  a  jar,  and  a  little  oil  in 
the  cruse.  As  you  see,  I  am  gathering  a  few  sticks  for  a  fire. 
I  will  mix  the  last  of  the  meal  and  bake  it  for  my  little  son 
and  for  myself ;  we  shall  eat  it  and  then  die.” 

But  Elijah  said:  “  Do  not  be  afraid.  Go  and  do  as  thou 
hast  planned.  But  make  me  a  little  cake  first,  and  bring  it  to 
me.  Then  make  for  thyself  and  thy  boy.  God  says  that 
both  the  meal  and  the  oil  shall  last  until  the  rain  comes  and 
the  famine  is  over.” 

The  widow  believed  the  promise  that  God  had  sent  through 
his  servant,  Elijah,  and  she  was  glad  to  be  able  to  share  her 
food.  She  went  home,  made  the  cake,  and  gave  it  to  Elijah  ; 
then  she  baked  for  her  little  boy  and  for  herself.  And,  won¬ 
derful  to  tell,  every  day  that  she  went  to  the  jar  to  get  meal 
there  was  still  enough  for  her  cakes ;  every  day  that  she  went 
to  the  cruse  for  oil  she  found  enough  to  mix  her  meal. 

Elijah  stayed  at  the  home  of  the  widow  for  a  long  time, 
and  never  a  day  passed  that  God  did  not  keep  his  promise 
to  the  woman  who  pleased  him  so  well  by  sharing  her  bread 
when  she  thought  she  had  reached  her  last  meal. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver.” — II  Corinthians  9:7c. 

“  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  unto  one  of  these  my  brethren, 
even  these  least,  ye  did  it  unto  me.” — Matthew  25  :40. 

THE  GOLDEN  RULE 

Matthew  7:12. 

Heavenly  Father,  thou  hast  given  us  a  great  many  good 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


33 


things.  We  thank  thee  for  all  that  thou  hast  done  for  us. 
Help  us  to  be  quick  and  ready  to  share  these  good  things 
with  those  who  need.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse  or  the  Golden  Rule. 

Draw  from  memory  a  picture  of  an  Oriental  house  such 
as  the  mother  and  her  little  boy  probably  lived  in. 

Try  to  share  something  with  some  one  this  week. 


CHAPTER  IV 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

HOW  ABRAM  STOPPED  A  QUARREL 

Genesis  13  :1-12 
Memory  Verse 

“  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers.” — Matthew  5  :9a. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

To  prove  that  Abram  was  strong  and  brave  in  giving  up 
to  Lot  will  be  difficult  in  many  Primary  classes.  Bravery  is 
a  trait  greatly  admired  by  both  boys  and  girls,  and  combat¬ 
iveness  plays  an  important  part  in  their  understanding  of  the 
meaning  of  this  trait  of  character. 

Children  hate  cowardice,  and  are  apt  to  resort  to  remark¬ 
able  threats  in  order  to  emphasize  to  their  little  companions 
their  own  belief  in  their  daring. 

We  do  not  wish  to  encourage  weakness  by  creating  ad¬ 
miration  for  an  excess  of  mildness.  Some  degree  of  com¬ 
bativeness  is  extremely  necessary  in  the  well-rounded  char¬ 
acter.  Without  it  children  will  never  develop  into  leaders, 
but  will  be  content  to  be  followers  always. 

Probably  the  boys  of  your  class  think  that  they  would 
have  settled  the  difficulty  with  Lot  and  his  herdsmen  in  quite 
a  different  manner ;  and  it  will  take  a  clever  presentation  to 
help  them  to  see  that  Abram’s  way  was  really  the  brave, 
strong  way :  that  it  was  a  braver  way  than  through  a  quarrel 
and  a  “  fight.” 


Abram  and  His  Family 

Beyond  the  Euphrates  in  Ur  of  the  Chaldees  lived  Terah 
and  his  three  sons  Abram,  Nahor,  and  Haran.  Abram,  the 
oldest,  married  Sarai,  a  beautiful  young  woman.  Haran 
also  married,  and  had  a  son  whom  he  named  Lot. 

34 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL,  LESSONS 


35 


The  family  determined  to  go  to  the  “  land  of  Canaan,”  and 
migrated  from  the  city  of  Ur.  Before  they  left  the  land  of 
their  birth,  Haran,  the  youngest  son,  died.  So  when  they 
started,  Lot  went  with  his  grandfather,  Terah,  and  his  uncle 
Abram. 

They  settled  for  a  time  in  Haran  in  Mesopotamia  where 
Terah  died.  Abram  and  Sarai  with  their  nephew  Lot  trav¬ 
eled  on  toward  Canaan.  During  this  time  Abram  received 
the  message  from  God  that  he  should  be  the  founder  of  his 
chosen  people. 

He  and  his  family  wandered  on  to  Shechem,  where  he 
pitched  his  tent  under  the  “  terebinth  ”  tree ;  then  on  to 
Bethel.  Because  of  a  famine,  however,  he  directed  his  course 
to  the  land  of  Egypt. 

When  he  left  Egypt  his  flocks  and  possessions  had  greatly 
increased ;  he  and  his  nephew  were  wealthy  herdsmen.  He 
then  came  back  to  his  former  place  of  encampment  not  far 
from  Bethel. 

The  pasture  proved  insufficient  for  the  flocks  of  both 
Abram  and  Lot ;  and  their  herdsmen  quarreled.  Abram  set¬ 
tled  the  dispute  which  might  have  led  to  bitter  enmity  be¬ 
tween  the  two  kinsmen  in  the  way  which  our  lesson  passage 
for  to-day  relates. 

The:  Story 

Ever  since  Lot’s  father  died,  he  had  lived  with  his  grand¬ 
father  and  his  uncle  Abram  and  aunt  Sarai.  They  were 
very  good  to  him.  So,  when  the  family  planned  to  move  to 
a  far  country,  they  would  not  leave  Lot  behind,  but  took  him 
with  them. 

One  day  a  number  of  large  camels  were  brought  up  to 
the  place  where  the  family  had  lived,  and  they  made  ready 
to  move  in  the  way  people  did  in  that  long-ago  time. 

The  drivers  bade  the  big  beasts  kneel  down.  This  they 
did  with  a  good  deal  of  grumbling,  as  camels  always  do. 

Then  the  servants  began  to  load  up  their  queer,  humpy 
backs  with  the  family  possessions.  For  many  a  night  they 
would  sleep  in  tents,  so  Abram  told  his  servants  to  put  in  the 
tent  cloths  and  the  long  tent  poles  and  the  tent  pins.  There 
were  big  water  jars,  and  meal  jars.  There  were  rolls  of  rugs 
to  make  soft  beds  at  night.  There  were  clothes  for  the 


36 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


family.  There  were  the  things  that  belonged  to  Lot’s  pretty 
aunt  Sarai. 

All  the  time  the  herdsmen  were  gathering  together 
Abram’s  flocks  of  sheep  and  cattle  and  goats,  and  there  was 
a  great  stir  and  din  that  moving  day. 

At  last  all  was  ready,  and  they  began  their  journey.  The 
family  and  the  servants  and  the  camels  and  the*  flocks  of 
sheep  and  goats  and  the  cattle  made  a  long  procession. 

They  traveled  for  a  great  distance,  and  by  and  by  they 
came  to  a  pleasant  spot  where  they  pitched  their  tents  and 
lived  for  a  time.  It  was  at  this  place  that  the  grandfather, 
Terah,  died. 

But  after  a  time  the  family  traveled  on  again,  and  of 
course  Lot  went  with  his  uncle  Abram. 

About  this  time  a  wonderful  thing  happened  to  Abram. 
God  spoke  to  him.  He  said :  “  Abram,  I  wish  you  to  go  to  a 
land  which  I  shall  show  you.  I  will  take  care  of  you,  and 
the  land  shall  be  given  to  you  and  to  your  children  for  a 
home.” 

Abram  promised  with  his  whole  heart  to  obey  God. 

So  the  procession  traveled  on  many  miles.  Sometimes  the 
people  rode  on  the  backs  of  the  camels.  Sometimes  they 
walked  along  slowly.  Every  day  they  saw  new  sights. 

When  the  hot  noontimes  came,  they  pitched  their  tents  and 
rested.  When  mealtime  came,  they  ate  roasted  meat,  and 
drank  milk,  and  ate  some  of  the  good  fruits  that  grew  along 
the  way. 

After  a  while  Abram  came  to  a  good  place  where  he 
pitched  his  tent.  God  again  spoke  to  him  and  said :  “  Some 
day  this  land  shall  belong  to  your  children.  I  will  take  care 
of  you,  if  you  obey  me.”  Abram  built  an  altar  to  God  and 
thanked  him.  Every  day  he  thought  of  God’s  promise. 

All  this  time  Lot  was  growing  older.  By  and  by  he  was 
old  enough  to  have  some  flocks  of  sheep  and  goats  of  his 
own.  He,  too,  had  a  tent  and  money  and  camels. 

Abram  could  not  count  his  sheep  and  lambs  and  goats  for 
he  had  so  many.  They  nibbled  all  day  at  the  grass  on  the 
hills  and  in  the  meadows.  There  were  so  many  animals  that 
they  ate  faster  than  the  grass  could  grow.  Abram  had  serv¬ 
ants  to  watch  his  flocks  and  see  that  they  had  food  enough. 
Lot  also  had  shepherds. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


37 


The  shepherds  began  to  quarrel.  Abram’s  shepherds 
wanted  the  greenest  grass  for  their  sheep ;  then  Lot’s  men 
scolded,  because  they  wanted  the  best  for  their  sheep. 

Abram  heard  the  men,  and  he  was  sorry  to  hear  the  angry 
words  and  voices.  He  liked  peace.  He  was  not  afraid  of 
the  men,  for  he  was  no  coward.  He  could  have  hurried  to 
Lot’s  shepherds  and  punished  them,  every  one.  He  could 
fight  with  kings  and  soldiers  and  beat  them,  too,  when  the 
time  for  fighting  came.  But  Abram  knew  a  better  way. 

He  called  his  nephew  Lot.  “  Our  shepherds  are  quarrel¬ 
ing,”  he  said.  “  Listen  !  ”  and  the  two  heard  angry  voices. 

“  We  must  not  let  a  quarrel  come  between  you  and  me,” 
said  Abram.  “  We  must  not  let  our  herdsmen  disagree. 
The  whole  land  is  before  us ;  there  is  plenty  for  you  and 
plenty  for  me.  You  go  one  way  and  I  will  go  another.” 

Lot  listened. 

“If  you  choose  the  right,  I  will  go  to  the  left.  But  if 
you  wish  to  go  to  the  left,  I  will  go  to  the  right.  We  are 
kinsmen.  Do  not  let  us  quarrel.  There  is  grass  enough  for 
both.” 

Abram’s  voice  was  very  kind,  and  he  looked  with  friendly 
eyes  at  his  nephew  Lot. 

Strange  to  say,  Lot  did  not  do  a  very  generous  thing  to 
this  uncle  who  always  had  been  so  kind  to  him. 

He  looked  far  away  to  the  river  valley.  It  was  green  and 
fair  and  like  a  garden.  He  thought :  “  That  is  the  best 
place.  I  will  choose  the  best  place  for  myself.  My  uncle 
can  take  what  is  left.”  Then  he  said,  “  I  will  go  to  the 
pasture  by  the  river.”  And  Abram  let  Lot  go  where  he 
wished. 

God  was  pleased  because  Abram  wanted  to  be  a  peace¬ 
maker.  When  Lot  had  gone,  God  said:  “  Lift  up  thine  eyes. 
Look !  All  that  thou  seest  shall  be  thine ;  as  far  as  thou 
canst  see  toward  the  north,  the  south,  the  east,  the  west.  I 
will  not  forget  my  promise.” 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotionar  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“A  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath  ; 

But  a  grievous  word  stirreth  up  anger.” 

— Proverbs  15:1. 


38 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  He  that  is  slaw  to  anger  is  better  than  the  mighty ; 

And  he  that  ruleth  his  spirit,  than  he  that  taketh  a  city.” 

— Proverbs  16:32. 

“  An  angry  man  stirreth  up  strife.” 

— Proverbs  29 :22. 

“  Depart  from  evil,  and  do  good ; 

Seek  peace,  and  pursue  it.” — Psalm  34:14. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  be  slow  to  be  angry.  Teach 
us  to  stop  to  think  a  few  minutes  when  we  are  angry.  Show 
us  how  to  live  at  peace  with  those  round  about  us.  Teach  us 
that  this  is  one  way  of  pleasing  thee.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Show  the  pupils  how  an  Oriental  tent  was  pitched,  and  let 
them  set  up  a  miniature  tent  from  material  which  you  have 
provided. 

This  may  be  done  as  follows:  Nine  sticks  representing  the 
tent  poles  will  be  needed.  Three  should  be  longer  than  the 
others.  Stick  these  in  the  sand  table  in  this  form : 

000 

000 

000 


Over  the  top  of  the  sticks  stretch  the  “  tent  cloth.”  Tie 
the  ends  down  to  little  sticks  representing  the  “  tent  pins.” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


39 


Represent  a  flock  of  sheep  and  a  shepherd  with  cut-outs 
placed  on  the  sand  table. 

Make  an  impromptu  dramatization  of  the  story. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

A  CAPTIVE  MAID  TRYING  TO  HELP 
II  Kings  5:1-14 
Memory  Verse 

“  Even  a  child  maketh  himself  known  by  his  doings.” 

— Proverbs  20:11a. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

Syria  borders  on  Palestine  toward  the  north,  and  its  capi¬ 
tal  at  this  period  of  history  was  Damascus,  said  to  be  the 
oldest  city  in  the  world.  Damascus  was  a  place  of  importance 
in  the  days  of  Abraham,  and  Josephus  thought  that  it  had 
been  founded  by  Uz,  the  great-grandson  of  Noah. 

Its  location  was  one  of  rare  beauty,  on  a  luxuriant  plain 
at  the  base  of  the  mountains.  Viewed  from  a  distance  its 
buildings  were  said  to  seem  to  rise  out  of  a  sea  of  verdant 
foliage. 

At  the  time  of  this  lesson  flower-decked  gardens,  fruit¬ 
laden  orchards,  and  rich  cornfields  were  to  be  seen  every¬ 
where.  These  were  watered,  and  even  their  existence  made 
possible,  by  the  waters  of  the  lovely  river  Abana  and  the 
smaller  stream  Pharpar.  This  verdure  was  a  great  con¬ 
trast  to  the  surrounding  desert,  untouched  by  the  life-giving 
waters. 

Ben-hadad  was  king  of  Syria.  Naaman  was  the  captain  of 
his  army.  The  Syrians  were  hostile  to  the  Kingdom  of 
Israel,  and  the  king  and  his  army  made  frequent  raids  into 
the  country  devastating  where  they  could,  and  carrying  into 
captivity  those  whom  they  were  able  to  seize. 

The  little  maid  of  our  story  had  been  kidnaped  and  car¬ 
ried  away  from  her  home  in  Samaria,  the  capital  of  the 
Northern  Kingdom  of  Israel.  She  had  been  taken  by  Naa¬ 
man  to  his  home  and  given  as  a  slave  to  his  wife. 


40 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  bCHOOL  LESSONS 


Her  master  Naaman  was  a  leper,  and  the  little  girl’s  sym¬ 
pathies  were  aroused  by  the  trouble  which  overshadowed  the 
household. 

Elisha  was  the  prophet  of  Israel.  The  captive  girl’s  belief 
in  God  and  in  his  servant  were  steadfast,  and  she  referred 
her  mistress  to  Elisha,  feeling  assured  that  she  could  thus 
bring  relief  to  the  family  of  which  she  had  grown  so  fond. 

Our  aim  will  be  to'  impress  upon  the  minds  of  the  children 
the  fact  that  the  little  girl’s  conduct  was  pleasing  to  God ;  she 
remembered  God  through  all  her  trouble  and  loneliness ; 
she  told  her  mistress  where  she  would  be  sure  to  find 
help ;  she  showed  a  great  kindness  of  spirit  and  desire  to 
give  help  where  it  was  sorely  needed.  Tell  your  story  from 
the  little  girl’s  standpoint;  feature  her  throughout  the  story, 
and  make  her  the  leading  character. 

The  teacher  may  show  how  the  help  that  a  child  can  give 
sometimes  is  the  means  of  great  accomplishment. 

Bring  out  clearly  the  fact  that  God  is  always  pleased  by 
the  effort  of  a  child  to  help. 

The  Story 

A  long  time  ago  there  was  a  little  girl  who  lived  in  a 
house  that  was  fit  for  a  princess,  but  she  was  not  a  princess 
of  the  land. 

The  master  of  the  house  was  a  very  great  man,  indeed, 
and  his  wife  was  a  great  lady ;  but  they  were  not  the  little 
girl’s  father  and  mother. 

The  city  of  Damascus  in  which  the  palace  stood  was  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  cities  in  the  whole,  wide  world.  There 
were  gardens  of  lovely  flowers,  and  orchards  of  luscious 
fruits.  But  this  beautiful  city  was  not  this  little  girl’s  home 
city. 

Her  father  and  mother  and  her  home  were  in  the  city 
called  Samaria.  She  had  been  stolen  away  and  brought  to 
this  other  land. 

Captain  Naaman  and  his  soldiers  had  broken  through  the 
city  walls.  They  came  to  her  home  and  to  many  other 
homes ;  they  had  carried  away  precious  treasures ;  they  had 
carried  away  many  of  the  people. 

The  little  girl  had  been  brought  to  Captain  Naaman’s  pal- 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


41 


ace,  and  made  a  little  slave  girl.  Her  mistress  was  Captain 
Naaman’s  wife.  Sometimes  she  would  fan  the  great  lady; 
sometimes  she  would  help  her  to  put  on  her  lovely  silken 
robes;  sometimes  she  would  bring  her  flowers  and  fruit. 

The  little  girl  was  so  helpful  and  good  that  the  lady  grew 
very  fond  of  her.  Even  her  master,  the  great  Captain  Naa- 
man,  liked  the  pretty,  dark-eyed  girl  who  was  so  good  and 
willing,  and  he  was  kind  to  her. 

But  although  the  great  soldier  and  his  wife  had  so  many 
things  to  make  them  comfortable,  they  were  not  happy.  Cap¬ 
tain  Naaman  had  a  disease  which  no  doctor  in  all  the  land 
could  cure.  He  was  still  able  to  lead  his  men  and  go  about ; 
but  it  was  bound  to  grow  worse,  and  he  feared  that,  by  and 
by,  it  would  kill  him. 

The  little  girl  learned  about  this.  She  was  very  sorry  for 
the  great  soldier,  even  though  he  had  stolen  her  from  her 
home.  She  was  sorry,  too,  that  her  master  and  mistress  did 
not  pray  to  God  about  it.  Their  god  was  only  an  idol ;  he 
could  not  help  them.  He  had  no  power  to  make  Naaman 
well.  The  little  slave  girl  prayed  to  the  true  God. 

One  day  she  said :  “  O  my  mistress,  I  wish  that  my  master 
knew  about  the  great  teacher  who  lives  in  my  homeland.  His 
name  is  Elisha.  He  tells  us  about  God.  He  would  heal  my 
master  of  his  disease.” 

Some  one  told  Naaman  what  the  little  girl  had  said. 
Naaman  longed  to  be  well.  He  went  and  told  the  king. 
King  Ben-hadad  said,  “  Go,  and  I  will  send  a  letter  to  the 
king  of  Israel.” 

Then  Naaman  ordered  his  chariots  and  his  horses  to  be 
brought. 

He  thought  to  himself,  “  I  will  make  a  splendid  gift  to 
this  man  if  he  heals  me.”  He  filled  bags  with  gold  and  silver. 
He  also  took  beautiful  garments  fit  for  a  king  to  wear. 

The  soldier  and  his  servants  rode  away,  and  by  and  by 
they  came  before  the  king  of  Israel. 

This  king  was  not  a  good  man.  He  had  turned  from  God. 
He  had  not  listened  to  the  teachings  of  Elisha.  He  was 
frightened  when  he  saw  Naaman  and  his  servants  coming. 

He  read  the  letter  and  cried :  “  Am  I  God  that  this  man 
has  come  to  me  about  his  disease?  He  has  come  to  pick  a 
quarrel  with  me.” 


42 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


But  Elisha  heard  that  Naaman  had  come.  He  sent  for 
him.  So  Naaman  came  and  stood  at  the  door  of  Elisha’s 
house. 

Elisha  sent  his  servant  to  the  great  man  with  this  word, 
“  Go  wash  in  the  river  Jordan  seven  times,  and  thou  shalt  be 
made  well.” 

The  river  Jordan  was  in  Elisha’s  land  of  Israel.  It  was 
not  nearly  so  beautiful  as  the  rivers  in  Naaman’s  land.  The 
great  soldier’s  eyes  flashed  with  anger. 

“Bathe  in  the  river  Jordan,  indeed!  Go  bathe  in  that 
muddy,  yellow  water !  What  a  strange  thing  to  ask  me  to 
do!  I  thought  he  surely  would  come  out  to  me.  He  sent 
his  servant !  He  did  not  even  put  his  hand  over  the  place 
and  call  on  his  God !  Are  not  the  rivers  of  my  own  land  far 
better  than  all  the  rivers  of  his  land?  The  river  Jordan!  ” 
Then  the  captain  turned  to  go  away  in  a  rage. 

But  his  servants  said :  “  Master,  if  the  teacher  had  asked 
thee  to  do  some  very  hard  thing,  wouldst  thou  not  have  done 
it?  How  much  better  when  he  says  only,  ‘Wash,  and  be 
clean !  ’  ” 

Naaman  thought;  his  servants  were  right. 

He  went  to  the  river  Jordan.  He  dipped  himself  seven 
times  in  its  waters.  He  obeyed  Elisha ;  and  Elisha  had  been 
speaking  a  message  from  God.  The  wonderful  promise 
came  true.  Naaman  was  made  well.  His  rough,  sore  skin 
became  as  soft  as  a  little  child’s. 

The  grateful  soldier  came  back  to  Elisha.  He  said:  “I 
know  now  that  there  is  no  other  true  God  except  the  God  of 
Israel.  After  this  I  am  going  to  worship  Jehovah,  the  true 
God.” 

And  all  this  came  about  because  a  little  girl  wanted  to  help. 
Suggestions  tor  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  Even  a  child  maketh  himself  known  by  his  doings.” 

— Proverbs  20:11a. 

“  The  Lord  our  God,  the  Lord  is  one :  and  thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul, 
and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all  thy  strength.” 

—Mark  12  :29,  30. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


43 


“  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself/’ 

— Mark  12  :31. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  teach  us  that  God  cares  for  little  chil¬ 
dren  and  loves  them.  Teach  us  that  a  little  child  may  love 
thee  with  all  his  heart,  and  with  all  his  soul,  and  with  all  his 
mind,  and  with  all  his  strength.  We  would  do  something  to 
please  thee.  Thou  hast  said  that  doing  kind  things  for  others 
is  the  same  as  doing  for  thee.  Help  us  to  remember  this 
way  of  pleasing  thee  all  through  the  week.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  short  list  of  things  children  can  do  to  be  helpful, 
emphasizing  the  fact  that  these  are  ways  of  pleasing  God. 
Try  to  do  two  especially  helpful  things  this  week. 

Dramatize  in  very  simple  manner  the  imaginary  scene  be¬ 
tween  the  little  captive  girl  and  her  mistress,  giving  the  dia¬ 
logue  in  which  the  child  does  her  part. 

An  Additionae  Story  About  a  Heepeue  Child 

“  Little  Gustava,”  by  Celia  Thaxter. 

“  The  Jar  of  Rosemary,”  to  be  found  in  “  The  Story- 
Teller,”  by  Maud  Lindsay.  (Lothrop,  Lee,  and  Shepherd.) 


CHAPTER  V 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

A  STORY  ABOUT  FORGIVING 
Genesis  14:11-16 
Memory  Verse 

“  Be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tenderhearted,  forgiving  each 
other.” — Ephesians  4 :32a. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

Opportunities  to  show  forgiveness  occur  all  through  the 
life  of  every  individual,  and  all  of  us  know  that  it  is  often 
exceedingly  difficult  to  forgive.  A  telling  illustration  of  this 
trait  of  character  will  prove  a  compelling  influence  over  the 
little  child  of  Primary  age. 

Under  emotional  stress  the  Primary  child  naturally  de¬ 
sires  to  follow  the  plan  of  “  an  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth 
for  a  tooth.”  It  is  given  the  teacher  to  show  him  the  better 
way,  the  other  way  which  Christ  taught,  and  of  which  he 
was  the  supreme  Example. 

“  But  I  say  unto  you  that  hear,  Love  your  enemies,  do 
good  to  them  that  hate  you.  .  .  .  And  as  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also  to  them  likewise.  .  .  .  And  if 
ye  do  good  to  them  that  do  good  to  you,  what  thank  have  ye  ? 
for  even  sinners  do  the  same.  ...  Be  ye  merciful,  even  as 
your  Father  is  merciful.” 

This  was  the  teaching  of  Jesus,  and  he  carried  it  out  in 
all  the  action  of  his  life. 

Out  of  a  number  of  excellent  incidents  in  the  Old  Testa¬ 
ment  illustrating  this  wonderfully  difficult,  yet  wonderfully 
effective  trait  of  character,  let  us  choose  the  story  of  Abram’s 
rescue  of  Lot  after  his  choice  of  the  “  best  for  self.”  This 
will  amplify  the  thought  suggested  in  Chapter  IV,  that 
Abram  did  not  yield  to  Lot  because  of  cowardice. 


44 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


45 


Abram’s  affection  for  his  nephew  was  enduring,  and  he 
forgave  his  selfishness  to  such  an  extent  that  he  was  willing 
to  risk  his  life  and  property  in  order  to  save  him  from  the 
hands  of  the  conquering  kings  who  besieged  the  lonely  gar¬ 
den  spot  which  he  had  chosen  for  his  home  and  pasture 
ground. 

In  making  this  choice  Lot  left  entirely  out  of  his  calcula¬ 
tions  the  character  of  the  people  among  whom  he  was  going 
to  dwell,  and  what  would  be  the  effect  of  their  influence  over 
his  life. 


The:  Situation 

Abram  had  pitched  his  tent  and  established  his  home 
among  the  oak  groves  of  Mamre;  he  had  made  friends  and 
a  treaty  with  the  chiefs  of  the  surrounding  tribes. 

Lot  had  settled  down  in  his  new  home  and  his  flocks  and 
herds  had  increased  as  he  had  expected.  But  there  was 
great  unrest  amongst  the  different  kings  and  chiefs  of  the 
people  round  about.  He  soon  found  himself  in  a  land  where 
rebellion,  revolt,  and  insurrection  were  followed  by  actual 
war.  Cities  were  plundered  and  hosts  of  captives  were  taken 
by  the  victorious  kings. 

Lot  and  his  family  were  among  the  captives,  and  the  news 
was  brought  to  Abram  by  a  fugitive. 

Three  hundred  and  eighteen  attendants  and  slaves  was 
the  remarkable  number  of  the  band  which  Abram  was  able 
to  muster  to  his  call.  These  followers  were  quickly  sum¬ 
moned  and  instructed  by  the  man  who  had  forgiven  the  rela¬ 
tive  who  had  behaved  so  selfishly  toward  him. 

The  band  of  rescuers  hurried  along  the  garden  valley  after 
the  capturers ;  caught  up  with  them ;  made  a  night  attack  and 
routed  them,  releasing  Lot  and  his  family. 

Before:  the:  Story 

Review  the  story  given  in  Chapter  IV,  “  How  Abram 
Stopped  a  Quarrel  ”  : 

One  day  a  long,  long  time  ago,  something  happened  which 
was  likely  to  start  a  quarrel  between  two  men.  These  men 
were  shepherds  and  herdsmen,  each  had  hundreds  and  hun¬ 
dreds  of  sheep  and  little  lambs  and  goats. 


46 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


One  of  the  men  was  older  than  the  other,  and  he  owned 
the  most  lambs  and  goats  and  sheep.  He  had  given  the 
younger  man  his  first  little  flock.  Indeed,  he  had  been  very, 
very  good  to  the  younger  man,  even  when  he  was  a  little 
orphan  boy.  He  took  him  to  live  in  his  own  tent. 

Who  can  tell  the  names  of  the  two  men?  (Abram  and 
Lot.) 

What  was  the  thing  that  was  about  to  start  the  quarrel? 
(Try  to  get  the  statement  from  the  children  in  some  sort  of 
form  that  Lot  also  had  become  rich  and  that  the  herdsmen 
belonging  to  the  two  relatives  were  quarreling  for  the  best 
pasture  ground,  as  there  was  not  enough  grass  for  all  the 
animals.) 

How  was  the  quarrel  settled? 

What  did  Lot  do?  (Chose  the  best  for  self.  Expatiate 
upon  Lot’s  treatment  of  his  uncle.) 

The  Story 

Under  some  big,  shady  oak  trees  there  was  a  tent,  and  in 
it  lived  Abram  and  his  beautiful  wife,  Sarai. 

There  were  other  tents  round  about,  for  Abram  was  a 
rich  man,  and  had  a  great  many  servants  to  do  his  work.  He 
needed  help,  for  he  owned  so  many  sheep  and  little  lambs 
and  goats  that  it  would  have  been  hard  to  count  them. 
Abram  could  not  have  taken  care  of  all  the  flocks  he  owned 
without  his  herdsmen. 

One  day  a  man  came  running  to  the  tent  under  the  oak 
trees.  He  was  a  frightened-looking  man,  and  had  come  from 
a  long  distance.  He  looked  this  way  and  that,  as  if  he  were 
still  afraid  of  something. 

He  greeted  Abram;  then  he  said,  “  Your  nephew  Lot  is  a 
prisoner !  ” 

He  told  how  four  kings  and  their  followers  had  fought 
with  five  other  kings  and  their  soldiers.  There  had  been  a 
great  battle.  The  kings  who'  won  the  battle  stole  away  all 
the  good  and  valuable  things  that  belonged  in  the  land  where 
Lot  had  chosen  to  live. 

“  Not  only  did  they  steal  the  goods,”  said  the  man,  “  but 
they  took  the  people,  the  men  and  women  and  little  children ! 
They  caught  Lot  and  all  his  family !  They  almost  caught 
me !  But  I  escaped,  and  have  come  to  tell  you.” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


47 


Now  Abram  might  have  thought  to  himself :  “  Well,  Lot 
chose !  This  is  his  choice !  He  thought  he  was  getting  the 
best  for  himself.  I  have  what  he  left !  This  serves  my 
selfish  nephew  right !  I  will  not  trouble  myself  about  him.” 
Abram  might  have  thought  these  things,  but  he  did  not. 

“  My  nephew  Lot  a  prisoner !  ”  he  thought.  “  I  will  help 
him  all  I  can  !  ” 

He  looked  brave  enough  for  any  king  to  fear  as  he  hur¬ 
ried  about  giving  his  orders.  He  called  his  servants  and  his 
herdsmen. 

When  all  had  gathered  before  his  tent,  there  were  three 
hundred  and  eighteen  strong  men. 

“  My  nephew  Lot  is  a  prisoner !  ”  he  exclaimed.  “  Make 
yourselves  ready  to  go  with  me  to  set  him  free !  ” 

The  men  armed  themselves,  and  then  Abram  and  his 
herdsmen  hurried  away. 

It  was  nighttime ;  but  they  marched  so  fast  that  they 
caught  up  to  the  flying  kings. 

Abram  bade  his  men  fight,  and  they  smote  those  kings  who 
had  stolen  the  treasures  and  were  carrying  away  into  slavery 
the  men,  women,  and  little  children,  even  his  own  nephew 
Lot  and  his  family. 

Abram  and  his  brave  men  won  the  battle.  Lot  and  all  his 
family  were  saved  and  set  free.  The  goods  and  all  the 
treasures  were  taken  away  from  the  thieving  kings. 

And  this  is  the  way  in  which  Abram  forgave  his  selfish 
nephew. 

Suggestions  tor  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBRE  READING  LESSON 

“  Jehovah,  I  have  called  upon  thee ;  make  haste  unto  me: 

Give  ear  unto  my  voice,  when  I  call  unto  thee  .  .  . 

Set  a  watch,  O  Jehovah,  before  my  mouth ; 

Keep  the  door  of  my  lips. 

Incline  not  my  heart  to  any  evil  thing.” 

— Psalm  141  :1,  3,  4a. 


prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  may  we  be  ready  to  forgive  even  as  we 


48 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


wish  others  to  forgive  us.  May  we  be  ready  to  help  those 
who  need  our  help.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Set  up  an  Oriental  tent  in  the  sand  table. 

Dramatize  the  scene  of  the  fugitive  giving  his  message. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

PETER  ASKS  A  QUESTION 
Matthew  18:21-35 
Memory  Verse 

“  Be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tenderhearted,  forgiving  each 
other.” — Ephesians  4 :32a. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

The  teaching  of  Jesus  regarding  forgiveness  is  made  re¬ 
markably  clear  in  the  story  which  he  told  as  an  answer  to 
Peter’s  question.  “  Lord,  how  oft  shall  my  brother  sin 
against  me,  and  I  forgive  him?  until  seven  times?” 

Even  our  Primary  children  can  understand  Peter’s  ques¬ 
tion  ;  it  will  make  a  special  appeal  to  them  as  they  are  at 
an  age  when  nature  is  yet  untrained,  and  it  is  easy  to  give 
way  to  passion  and  unforgiving  feeling. 

Peter  with  his  emotional,  impetuous  nature  was  very  child¬ 
like  in  his  questioning.  During  all  his  friendship  with  his 
Master,  even  up  to  the  last  scenes  of  Jesus’  earthly  life,  he 
showed  how  he  needed  to  be  forgiven,  over  and  over  again. 
Jesus  with  his  unbounded  capacity  to  forgive  proved  even 
on  the  cross  how  understanding^  he  could  answer  this  ques¬ 
tion  which  Peter  asked. 

The  Occasion 

Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  in  Capernaum,  his  home  city, 
by  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  He  had  been  teaching,  as  was  his 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


49 


wont,  and  this  particular  discussion  concerned  the  treatment 
of  one  who  had  done  an  unkindness  or  an  injury  to  another. 
How  should  we  act  toward  these  trespassers?  The  Old 
Testament  had  many  fine  rules  and  distinctions,  and  the  Jews 
were  greatly  inclined  toward  the  “  splitting  of  hairs  ”  in  the 
interpretation  of  the  laws. 

Peter  had  not  understood  the  meaning  of  his  Master  as 
was  clearly  shown.  He  asked :  “  Master,  how  many  times 
should  we  forgive?  Will  seven  times  be  enough?” 

Seven  was  a  sacred  number  amongst  the  Hebrews.  They 
thought  that  was  sacred  because  there  were  seven  lights  in 
the  sky — sun,  moon,  and  five  planets — because  God  had 
blessed  the  seventh  day  and  hallowed  it,  and  so  forth. 

The  Story 

Peter’s  best  Friend  was  Jesus.  One  day  he  was  listening 
while  Jesus  was  talking. 

Jesus  was  talking  about  how  we  should  treat  others. 

Peter’s  face  was  very  sober ;  he  had  a  question  that  he 
wanted  to  ask.  Peter  was  the  kind  of  person  that  likes  to 
do  things  with  all  his  might  and  main.  When  he  got  angry, 
as  he  often  did,  he  was  angry  through  and  through.  But 
when  he  was  sorry  he  was  sorry  through  and  through. 
When  he  loved,  he  loved  with  all  his  heart,  just  as  he  loved 
Jesus,  his  best  Friend.  But  when  he  was  angry,  oh,  how 
angry  Peter  could  be ! 

Jesus  loved  Peter;  he  loved  just  this  kind  of  man.  But 
he  wanted  Peter  to  learn  to  be  forgiving. 

So  Peter  asked  his  question :  “  Master,  how  many  times 
should  we  forgive  anyone  who  has  been  unkind,  or  has  done 
a  wrong  thing  to  us  ?  Seven  times  ?  Is  seven  times  enough  ?  ” 

Peter  thought  that  to  forgive  seven  times  was  plenty. 
Seven  times  seems  a  great  many  times  to  keep  one’s  temper 
and  to  be  patient!  He  was  just  a  little  pleased  with  himself 
for  asking  this  question. 

But  Jesus  said:  “Seven  times,  Peter!  Not  seven  times, 
but  seventy  times  seven,  I  say !  ” 

Of  course  Jesus  meant  that  Peter  should  forgive  so  many 
times  that  he  would  forget  to  count;  that  he  should  always 
be  forgiving. 


50 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Then  Jesus  said,  “  I  will  tell  you  a  story,  Peter.” 

Jesus’  Story  About  Forgiving 

Once  there  was  a  rich  king  who  had  a  great  many  servants. 
One  day  he  called  them  to  him  to  find  how  they  had  been 
doing  their  work.  He  needed  to  learn  whether  they  owed 
him  any  money ;  whether  they  had  been  doing  everything  as 
good  servants  should  do. 

He  found  that  one  of  the  servants  owed  him  a  great  deal 
of  money.  The  servant  was  very  much  frightened,  because 
he  had  no  money  to  pay  the  debt. 

“  Sell  him !  ”  cried  the  king.  “  Sell  his  wife  and  his  chil¬ 
dren  and  all  that  he  has  so  that  I  may  receive  my  money !  ” 

The  servant  fell  trembling  at  the  king’s  feet. 

“  Lord,  have  pity !  Have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will 
pay  thee  all.” 

The  king  looked  at  the  poor,  frightened  man,  and  his 
anger  left  him ;  his  heart  became  full  of  pity. 

“  I  will  forgive  thee,”  he  said,  kindly,  and  he  set  him  free. 

Now  this  man  left  the  palace  and  went  out  and  found  one 
of  his  fellow  servants  who  owed  him  a  small  debt,  not  nearly 
as  much  as  he  owed  his  king.  He  caught  him  and  seized 
him  by  the  throat  and  roughly  exclaimed,  “  Pay  what  thou 
owest !  ” 

The  man  fell  down  at  his  feet,  just  as  he  himself  had 
fallen  at  the  feet  of  the  king  only  a  short  time  before,  and 
begged,  “  Have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee.” 

But  this  unforgiving  man  would  not  have  patience;  he  had 
forgotten  already  how  he  had  trembled  at  his  master’s  feet 
and  had  been  forgiven.  He  cast  his  fellow  servant  into 
prison,  saying  that  he  should  remain  there  until  his  debt  was 
paid. 

When  the  other  servants  saw  what  was  done  they  were  exT 
ceedingly  sorry,  and  went  and  told  the  king  all  about  it.  The 
king  called  his  unforgiving  servant  and  said :  “  Thou  wicked 
servant,  I  forgave  thee  all  that  debt,  because  thou  didst  beg 
me.  Shouldst  not  thou  have  had  pity  even  as  I  had  pity  for 
thee  ?  ”  And  the  king  was  angry  and  sent  him  away  to  be 
punished. 

When  Jesus  had  finished  this  story  he  said:  “  That  is  the 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


51 


way  God  feels  when  you  are  unforgiving.  Think  how  many 
times  God  forgives.  Should  you  not  also  be  f orgiving  ?  ” 

Another  Story  About  Forgiving 

At  the  school  where  Anusaya  went,  the  doors  and  win¬ 
dows  were  flung  wide  open,  and  the  little  girls  sat  on  the 
floor  in  rows  against  the  wall.  This  is  the  way  they  do  in 
the  far-away  land  of  India. 

The  air  was  full  of  the  low  humming  of  voices,  and  the 
squeaking  of  slate  pencils. 

One  morning  a  shadow  fell  across  the  book  that  the  prin¬ 
cipal  was  reading  at  her  desk.  She  looked  up  quickly.  Little 
red-dressed  Anusaya  stood  motionless  in  the  doorway. 

“  What  do  you  want,  Anusaya  ?  ”  she  asked  pleasantly. 
“If  you  want  chalk  or  ink  you  may  get  it  for  yourself  from 
the  desk.”  She  turned  to  her  book  again. 

In  a  few  minutes  she  looked  up ;  Anusaya  was  still  stand¬ 
ing  by  the  desk.  She  was  looking  with  solemn,  troubled  eyes 
out  of  the  window. 

The  teacher  loved  this  pretty,  dark-eyed  little  girl ;  she 
was  the  pride  of  the  school.  She  was  now  eight  years  old 
and  had  been  there  since  she  was  a  wee  baby  found  in  the 
street  at  the  time  of  the  famine.  It  was  she  who  ran  most 
of  the  errands ;  it  was  she  who  always  remembered  to  water 
the  vines  on  the  schoolhouse.  She  was  the  little  peacemaker 
of  the  school,  and  its  sunshine. 

All  the  girls  loved  her  even  if  she  could  run  faster  and 
swing  higher  than  any  of  them,  for  didn’t  she  always  play 
fair  in  the  games,  and  didn’t  she  always  take  the  littlest  chil¬ 
dren  on  the  swing  with  her,  and  wasn’t  she  always  doing  a 
turn  at  housework  for  the  forgetful  girls  ? 

But  to-day  her  jaw  was  set  and  her  brown  eyes  were  grave. 

“  Why,  Anusaya,  I  thought  you  had  gone,”  said  the 
principal. 

“  No,  Baisahib,  I  came  for  chalk,  but  I  wanted  to  see  you, 
too — but  you  are  busy  ?  ” 

“  Not  too  busy  when  you  want  me,  little  one,”  said  the 
principal. 

Anusaya  drew  back  from  the  outstretched  hand.  Her 
chin  quivered  a  bit  but  her  voice  was  firm. 


52 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  You  mustn’t  caress  me  any  more,  Baisahib,  because — 
because  I  have  been  very  bad.”  The  big,  brown  eyes  looked 
very  seriously  into  the  kind  blue  eyes.  “  I  am  not  worthy 
of  your  caress.” 

“  O  Anusaya !  ”  there  was  only  tenderness  in  the  tone. 

“  You  do  not  believe  me.  Listen  and  I  will  tell  you.  It 
was  the  arithmetic  hour.  I  had  no  pencil.  I  lent  mine  to 
Sushila  yesterday,  and  she  lost  it.  I  had  had  no  time  to 
earn  a  peisa  for  another,  and  I  was  ashamed  to  ask.  So  I 
prayed  God  to  put  it  into  Bai’s  heart  to  ask  me  to  do  my  ex¬ 
ample  at  the  board,  but  I  had  failed  on  a  problem  yesterday 
and  Sushila  hadn’t,  so  of  course  Bai  asked  her  to  go  to  the 
board  instead  of  me. 

“  Sushila  lives  in  the  town,  you  know,  and  her  father  had 
just  this  morning  given  her  a  beautiful  new  pencil  with  red 
and  gold  paper  on  the  outside.  That  was  after  she  had  lost 
mine.  She  brought  it  to  school  with  her  and  when  she  went 
to  the  board,  lo,  she  left  it  beside  her  slate  on  the  floor. 

“  Now  she  sits  in  front  of  me,  as  you  know,  Baisahib.  I 
think  I  let  an  evil  spirit  enter  into  my  heart,  and  it  drove 
the  dear  Christ  out,  for  only  faintly  did  I  hear  him  say, 
‘  O  Anusaya!  ’  just  as  you  say  it  now,  Baisahib,  so  hurtlike 
and  with  so  great  love.” 

Two  big  tears  splashed  down  over  the  neat  little  nose,  but 
were  quite  ignored  as  the  relentless  voice  went  on. 

“  And  I  obeyed  the  evil  spirit  and  took  the  pencil  when 
Bai  was  looking  out  of  the  window  and  everyone  else  was 
working  on  her  slate  with  her  back  turned  to  the  others.  I 
meant  to  put  it  back  before  Sushila  came  to  her  seat,  but 
I  had  to  tear  the  paper  on  one  end  to  write  with  it — and  so 
I  thought  maybe  I  should  keep  it  and  let  Sushila  think  it 
was  lost. 

“  It  was  very  wicked  of  me  and  I  know  it,  for  it  pricked 
inside  my  heart  so  hard  that  I  could  not  hear  Bai  give  out 
the  sum  and  I  had  to  copy  it  from  Rangu.  She  had  it  down 
wrong,  so  I  had  mine  wrong,  too — and  Bai  was  sad  and  said, 

‘  O  Anusaya,’  too,  and  that  makes  three  people  who  are  sad 
over  me. 

“  I  wanted  to  cry  and  cry  and  cry — and  then  I  thought 
I  would  come  and  tell  you  so  that  you  could  punish  me  with¬ 
out  Bai’s  sending  me.  And  just  then  God  was  very  good 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


53 


to  me,  for  Bai  needed  some  chalk  to  unloose  for  us  the  prob¬ 
lem  we  had  just  tried  to  do.  So  Bai  asked  who  would  go 
and  I  said  I  would.  So  I  came. 

“  And  please  don’t  give  me  a  long  punishment,  for  Bai 
needs  the  chalk  and  I  am  missing  the  other  sums  and  Sushila 
has  no  pencil.  But  punish  me  hard,  Baisahib,  because  I  have 
driven  the  dear  Christ  from  my  soul  and  I  have  made  Bai 
sad  and  you  sad  and  I  think  the  good  Father  must  be  even 
sadder  than  you,  because  he  loves  me  more  and  counts  on 
me  even  more  than  you — and  I  have  stolen,  and  lived  a  lie 
and  there  is  no  more  goodness  in  me.” 

The  little  girl  began  sobbing  away  the  clean  freshness  of 
a  shirtwaist  she  greatly  admired,  but  she  would  not  long  give 
herself  up  to  weeping.  She  struggled  in  vain  against  the 
loving  arms. 

“  Dear  little  girl,”  said  teacher,  “  you  have  punished  your¬ 
self  enough.  God  knows  you  are  truly  sorry  and  so  do  I, 
and  the  dear  Jesus  has  already  come  back  into  your  heart. 
I  will  give  you  a  pencil  to  take  to  Sushila  now,  and  this 
afternoon  you  may  come  and  dust  my  bookshelves  to  earn 
the  money  for  it.  And  now  you  must  not  cry  any  more,  dear. 
Run  to  the  well  and  bathe  your  face  before  you  go  back  to 
class.  Why,  here  is  Sushila,  now  !  ” 

“  May  I  take  some  chalk,  Baisahib  ?  ”  Sushila  had  started 
toward  the  cupboard  before  she  noticed  Anusaya,  but  she 
got  no  farther,  for  her  progress  was  checked  by  two  small 
arms  which  were  suddenly  thrown  around  her  neck  invsuch 
a  way  as  to  endanger  her  breathing. 

“  O  Sushie,  did  you  miss  your  nice  new  pencil  that  your 
father  gave  you  ?  ”  asked  a  sorry,  tearful  voice.  “  See,  here 
it  is.  I  used  it  for  the  first  sum  without  asking  you — and 
oh,  Sushie,  I  felt  so<  wicked  all  the  time — and — and .” 

“But  why  should  you  feel  wicked?  That  was  yours  for 
the  pencil  of  yours  I  lost  yesterday.  My  father  gave  me  two. 
See.”  A  second  beauty  with  blue  and  gold  paper  was  dangled 
under  Anusaya’s  eyes. 

“  But,  but  ” - 

“If  you’d  rather  have  the  blue  pencil,  I’ll  exchange,” 
added  Sushila  generously. 

“  Oh,  oh,  Baisahib,”  Anusaya’s  eyes  were  rainbows  now, 
the  sun  shining  through  showers.  “  God  must  have  for- 


54 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


given  me.  Will  you  please  pray  now  that  he  will  strengthen 
me  never,  never  to  let  the  evil  spirit  in  again  and  to  drive 
dear  Jesus  out  ?  ” 

Chalk,  pencils,  and  waiting  teacher  were  forgotten  as  the 
two  little  girls  stood  with  bowed  heads  within  the  encircling 
white  arms.  The  prayer  over,  Anusaya  added  this  plea: 
“  O  God,  please  heal  the  Baisahib’s  wounded  heart,  sad  over 
us  her  wayward  children,  and  O  God,  help  us  to  give  thee 
joy  and  not  pain  the  rest  of  this  day,  and  thank  you  for 
sending  Sushie  to  me  with  the  lovely  pencil.  Amen.” 

And  so  love  and  forgiveness  brought  back  sunshine  and 
happiness  to  two  little  friends. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 

Repeat  the  service  given  in  Chapter  IV,  Sunday  Session. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Dramatize  the  first  scene  in  the  story  about  forgiving, 
which  Jesus  told. 


THE  RIGHT  USE  OF  GOD’S  BOOK,  GOD’S 
HOUSE,  AND  GOD’S  DAY 


CHAPTER  VI 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

A  LOST  BOOK  FOUND 
II  Kings  22:8,  10-13,  18-20;  23:1-3 
Memory  Verse 

“  Be  ye  doers  of  the  word,  and  not  hearers  only.” 

— James  1 :2  2. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

Out  in  the  garden  of  Uzza,  which  was  somewhere  within 
the  precincts  of  the  palace  of  the  kings  of  Judah,  were  two 
graves.  One  was  that  of  Manasseh,  the  other  that  of  Amon, 
the  grandfather  and  the  father  of  King  Josiah. 

Manasseh  had  ruled  over  Judah  for  fifty-five  years,  and 
his  reign  had  been  a  period  of  wretchedness :  God  had  been 
deserted ;  idols  and  shrines  were  in  the  high  places ;  sin  and 
disobedience  were  the  order  of  the  day ;  and  “  Manasseh  shed 
innocent  blood  very  much,  till  he  had  filled  Jerusalem  from 
one  end  to  another.” 

Amon,  his  son,  twenty-two  years  of  age  when  he  was 
crowned,  followed  his  example.  He  had  occupied  the  throne 
but  two  years,  however,  when  an  insurrection  among  his 
servants  occurred,  and  he  was  killed.  The  people  put  to 
death  the  murderers,  and  proclaimed  Josiah,  his  eight-year- 
old  son,  as  king. 

At  this  time  Hilkiah  was  high  priest  at  Jerusalem.  He 
became  the  instructor  of  the  baby  king.  Josiah  made  his 
choice  for  God.  One  of  his  first  deeds  when  he  became  old 
enough  to  act  was  the  cleansing  and  repairing  of  the  Temple 
which  had  been  neglected  for  so  long. 

The  old  house  was  opened  up  to  the  light,  and  skilled 
workmen  made  it  once  more  a  worthy  place.  While  this 
work  was  in  progress  the  book  of  the  Law  which  mentioned 

57 


58 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


the  penalties  that  would  befall  if  God’s  people  disobeyed,  was 
found. 

This  was  given  to  Shaphan  the  scribe.  He  read  it  and 
then  hurried  with  it  to  the  king. 

A  Talk  About  God’s  Book  (Before  the  Lesson) 

Draw  the  children’s  attention  to  a  copy  of  the  Bible  by 
saying  that  it  is  the  most  valuable  and  most  precious  Book 
in  all  the  world.  It  is  most  precious  because  it  is  God’s 
Book,  his  Word  to  his  people. 

Tell  that  it  did  not  always  look  just  as  this  copy  of  the 
Bible  looks.  Show  a  “  scroll  ”  that  you  have  made  at  home 
'by  fastening  a  piece  of  paper  or  a  soft  ribbon  to  two  pieces 
of  wood,  in  imitation  of  the  ancient  scroll.  Tell  how  God’s 
Word  to  his  people  was  once  written  in  this  form. 

Tell  that  the  Bible  has  been  written  in  many  other  lan¬ 
guages  so  that  other  people  also  may  have  it.  Refer  to  the 
fact  that  God’s  Word  is  for  “  all.” 

Say  that  you  have  a  story  about  a  time  long  ago  when 
part  of  God’s  Word  was  lost,  and  how  it  was  found. 

The  Story 

Once  upon  a  time,  long,  long  ago,  there  lived  a  little 
eight-year-old  boy  named  Josiah. 

His  home  was  a  wonderful,  big  palace  with  tall  ceilings 
held  up  with  marvelous  columns.  In  one  of  the  rooms  was 
the  most  beautiful  chair  in  all  the  land ;  it  was  decorated 
with  precious  stones.  A  flight  of  steps  led  up  to  this  chair, 
for  it  was  a  throne  such  as  kings  sit  upon.  The  throne  had 
belonged  to  Josiah’s  grandfather  for  a  great  many,  many 
years,  because  he  had  been  the  king. 

For  two  years  the  little  boy’s  own  father  had  been  king. 
Josiah  was  six  years  old  when  the  people  cried :  “  Long  live 
the  king !  Long  live  the  king !  ”  and  the  beautiful  crown 
which  sparkled  with  jewels,  and  was  bright  gold  like  the  sun, 
had  been  placed  upon  his  father’s  head. 

But  now  two  graves  were  in  the  garden  of  Uzza  near  the 
palace — the  grandfather  and  father  both  were  dead. 

The  people  shouted :  “  Long  live  the  king !  Long  live  the 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


59 


king !  ”  and  the  little,  eight-year-old  boy  was  made  ruler 
over  the  great  land  of  Judah. 

The  palace  was  his ;  the  throne  was  his ;  the  golden,  glit¬ 
tering  crown  was  his.  The  crown  seemed  big  and  heavy  for 
a  little  boy  eight  years  old ! 

Now  it  was  not  going  to  be  an  easy  thing  to  be  king  over 
Judah.  There  were  a  great  many  bad  things  that  needed  to 
be  made  right. 

Many  of  the  people  bowed  down  to  idols  and  said  their 
prayers  to  them.  All  through  the  land  idols  were  to  be 
found ;  they  had  been  set  up  in  temples,  in  the  groves,  and  in 
the  houses. 

Upon  the  hill  was  the  Temple,  God’s  house.  The  people 
should  have  loved  and  cared  for  this  house  and  kept  it  clean 
and  beautiful. 

Once  this  had  been  the  best-cared-for  house  in  all  the 
land ;  it  had  been  more  cared  for  than  the  king’s  palace.  But 
now  it  was  old  and  dusty  and  forgotten.  It  needed  new 
boards  and  new  paint.  There  were  holes  in  the  floors  that 
needed  mending. 

But  few  people  went  there  any  more,  and  God’s  house  was 
crumbling  away,  day  by  day. 

Many  of  the  beautiful  things  and  the  treasures  of  the 
Temple  became  stored  away  or  lost,  but  few  people  seemed 
to  care. 

One  man  cared,  however.  There  was  a  good  man,  the 
priest  of  the  Temple  who  cared  and  was  sorry.  And  this 
good  man,  Hilkiah,  became  the  teacher  of  the  little  King 
Josiah. 

Day  after  day  he  taught  him  about  God  our  heavenly 
Father;  day  after  day  he  told  him  how  wicked  it  was  to 
pray  to  idols ;  and  day  after  day  the  little  king  thought  about 
these  things  as  he  was  growing  up. 

Years  passed  by,  and  the  little  boy  became  a  big  boy.  He 
became  old  enough  and  wise  enough  to  rule  as  a  king  should 
rule. 

He  decided  that  the  one  true  God  should  be  his  God.  He 
decided,  too,  to  clear  the  idols  out  of  the  land  and  to  mend 
and  clean  God’s  house.  He  gave  money  and  collected  money 
from  the  people  for  this  work. 

One  day  he  said  to  one  of  his  chief  helpers,  “  Shaphan, 


60 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


go  to  the  Temple  and  ask  the  high  priest  to  count  the  money 
that  our  people  have  given  to  mend  the  Temple.” 

The  king  was  planning  to  take  this  money  to  pay  workmen 
and  to  buy  materials  to  mend  the  Temple,  and  make  it  a  fit 
place  for  God.  Shaphan  went  to  the  Temple  and  gave  the 
king’s  message  to  the  high  priest.  The  high  priest  gave  the 
money  to  the  workmen,  and  they  started  to  do  the  work. 

Then  the  high  priest  found  a  wonderful  thing !  It  was 
one  of  the  most  precious  of  all  the  forgotten  treasures.  It 
was  the  book  of  God’s  law!  “I  have  found  the  book  of 
God’s  law !  ”  exclaimed  the  high  priest.  He  gave  it  to  Shap¬ 
han,  who  read  it  and  then  hurried  with  it  to  the  king. 

When  he  came  into  the  king’s  presence  he  said,  “  The 
high  priest  found  this  book  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and 
gave  it  to  me.”  He  read  it  to  the  king. 

The  king  became  very  sober  and  sad.  •  Presently  he  began 
to  tear  his  clothes  in  grief.  It  seemed  as  if  God  were  telling 
over  again  how  he  wished  his  people  to  live.  And  the  people 
of  Jerusalem  had  been  disobeying  every  day! 

He  called  together  the  priests  and  other  great  men  of  the 
land.  He  said :  “  Let  us  study  the  meaning  of  this  book. 
Great  is  the  anger  of  the  Lord,  because  our  fathers  have  not 
obeyed !  ”  And  they  studied  the  words  of  the  book. 

King  Josiah  sent  for  all  the  people  of  his  land  to  come  to 
the  Temple.  He  read  to  them  the  words  that  were  written 
in  the  book. 

After  the  reading  was  over,  the  king  and  his  people  prom¬ 
ised  to  obey  God  as  long  as  they  lived,  to  do  God’s  will,  as 
well  as  to  hear  it  read. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotionae  Service 
a  bibeE  reading  eesson 

“  Blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  keep  it.” 

— Luke  1 1  :2  8. 

“  Thy  word  is  a  lamp  unto  my  feet, 

And  light  unto  my  path.” — Psalm  119:105. 

“  Thy  word  is  very  pure ; 

Therefore  thy  servant  loveth  it.” — Psalm  119:140. 

“  I  will  praise  his  word.” — Psalm  56:4. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


61 


SONG 

“  Holy  Bible,  Book  Divine,”  from  the  “  Primary  and 
Junior  Hymnal.” 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  the  Bible,  thy  Word. 
We  will  try  to  love  it  and  understand  it  and  obey  thy  rules 
as  did  the  little  king  about  whom  we  have  heard  to-day. 
Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  “  scroll  ”  with  two  sticks  and  a  strip  of  paper  or  a 
piece  of  cloth. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

MAKING  THE  BOOK  SPEAK  FOR  GOD 

Acts  8:26-39 
Memory  Verse 

“  Be  ye  doers  of  the  word,  and  not  hearers  only.” 

— James  1 :22. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

Philip  was  one  of  the  seven  deacons  chosen  to  look  after 
the  widows  and  the  poor  during  the  early  years  of  the 
Church  of  Jerusalem.  After  the  death  of  Stephen,  who  also 
was  one  of  the  seven  deacons,  Philip  became  an  evangelist. 
He  went  to  Samaria.  Afterwards  he  was  told  by  a  heav¬ 
enly  messenger  to  go  over  the  road  that  led  to  Gaza.  He 
obeyed,  and  the  meeting  with  the  Ethiopian  followed. 

The  Ethiopian  was  a  person  of  consequence  in  the  land  of 
Ethiopia,  which  was  a  portion  of  Africa  south  of  Egypt. 
It  was  ruled  over  by  a  dynasty  of  women,  and  Candace  was 
the  title  given  to  the  queen. 

Our  theme  is  “  The  Rigrht  Use  of  God’s  Book,  God’s 
House,  and  God’s  Day.”  The  preceding  lesson  tells  how  a 


62 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


king  reformed  his  whole  land  after  the  reading  of  God’s 
Word.  Two  other  stories  related  in  thought  are  given  to¬ 
day  :  one  from  the  Bible  telling  how  Philip  made  the  “  Book  ” 
speak  to  the  man  of  Ethiopia;  the  other  a  beautiful  incident 
from  the  autobiography  of  John  G.  Paton,  missionary  to  the 
New  Plebrides. 


The:  Story 

One  day  a  long  time  ago  a  man  named  Philip  went  out 
to  walk. 

The  road  was  through  a  desert  place,  so  there  were  pleas¬ 
anter  walks  to  be  found,  but  Philip  chose  this  road  rather 
than  any  other. 

The  reason  why  he  went  was  this :  A  little  while  before 
a  voice  had  spoken  to  him  saying,  “  Philip,  go  out  on  that 
desert  road  that  leads  out  toward  the  city  of  Gaza.” 

This  voice  was  from  the  Lord,  and  Philip  knew  it.  He 
had  been  telling  about  Jesus  to  everyone  who  would  listen 
to  him.  Indeed,  it  was  only  a  short  time  since  Jesus  had 
gone  back  to  heaven,  and  Philip  was  trying  to  tell  his  mes¬ 
sage  wherever  he  went. 

Of  course  he  left  everything  and  obeyed  the  voice,  for  that 
was  the  kind  of  man  Philip  was.  He  did  not  know  what  he 
was  to  do,  but  he  was  sure  that  God  had  some  work  for  him. 

He  was  watching  for  this  work  as  he  walked  along  the 
dry  and  dusty  road.  Philip  was  ready. 

By  and  by  he  saw,  in  the  distance,  a  man  riding  along  in 
a  chariot. 

“  Philip,  go  join  the  man  riding  in  the  chariot!  ”  said  the 
voice  of  the  Lord. 

Philip  ran  to  the  man.  He  saw  that  he  was  reading  a 
book. 

The  man  was  a  stranger  in  that  country ;  he  had  come 
from  a  great  distance.  His  land  was  ruled  by  a  queen  called 
Candace,  and  he  was  her  treasurer ;  he  took  care  of  her 
money.  He  was  a  great  and  rich  man  in  his  own  country. 
He  had  come  to  worship  at  Jerusalem,  and  now  he  was  go¬ 
ing  home  in  his  chariot. 

Somewhere  he  had  found  a  part  of  God’s  Word,  the  Bible, 
and  as  he  rode  along,  he  was  trying  to  read  it. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


63 


But  how  puzzled  he  was !  He  could  not  understand ! 
What  wonderful  things  were  to  be  found  there!  But  what 
did  they  mean  ?  What  could  they  mean  ?  His  face  was 
greatly  puzzled. 

Here  was  Philip’s  work :  he  could  tell  what  the  Book 
meant.  “Do  you  understand  what  you  are  reading?”  he 
asked  the  stranger. 

The  prince  looked  up.  “  No,  how  can  I  understand,  unless 
some  one  explains  to  me  ?  ”  he  said. 

He  invited  Philip  to  come  sit  beside  him  in  the  chariot, 
and  showed  him  the  Book,  which  was  really  a  part  of  the 
Bible. 

“  Of  whom  is  the  Book  written  ?  Who  is  meant  by  these 
words  ?  Can  you  tell  me  ?  ”  he  asked  earnestly. 

Then  Philip  told  him  all  the  story  about  Jesus:  about  his 
love,  how  he  came  to  earth,  how  his  life  had  been  taken  away, 
how  he  had  risen  from  the  dead,  and  now  was  in  heaven. 

The  chariot  passed  by  a  spring  or  stream  of  water.  The 
prince  said :  “  See,  here  is  water.  What  is  to  keep  me  from 
being  baptized  ?  ”  for  he  believed  every  word  that  Philip  said 
to  him,  and  took  Jesus  as  his  Saviour  and  Master. 

Then  he  commanded  the  chariot  to  stand  still.  He  and 
Philip  went  down  to  the  water,  and  Philip  baptized  him. 

God’s  Word  Speaks  to  Namakei 

Ever  since  Namakei  was  a  little  brown  baby  boy  he  had 
lived  on  the  beautiful  island  of  Aniwa.  All  round  about  the 
edge  was  a  rim  of  white  coral,  and  the  waves  of  the  sea  beat 
up  against  it. 

Sometimes  the  waves  thundered  and  roared  with  a  deaf¬ 
ening  noise.  But  when  the  days  were  clear  the  sea  was  like 
glass.  The  spray  looked  like  silver. 

Soft  green  grass  covered  the  ground,  and  beautiful  trees 
gave  shade. 

Namakei  loved  his  island  home  when  he  was  a  little  boy; 
and  he  loved  it  when  he  was  a  strong  man,  the  chief  of  all 
the  tribe  of  brown  people  who  lived  there;  he  loved  it  now 
that  he  had  grown  old. 

The  old  chief  and  his  people  bowed  down  to  idols ;  they 
did  not  know  the  true  God.  They  were  poor,  ignorant  crea- 


64 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


tures  who  knew  no'  better.  They  often  were  cruel  to  one 
another,  they  would  lie  and  steal.  They  would  kill  their 
enemies  and  do  all  manner  of  evil  things  that  God  has  for¬ 
bidden. 

One  day  a  little  boat  landed  at  the  island ;  it  brought  a 
stranger,  a  white  man.  He  had  come  to  tell  the  island  people 
about  God;  he  had  come  to  bring  them  God’s  Word. 

It  was  hard  for  the  white  man  to  make  friends  with  the 
strange  brown  people.  But  he  was  kind  to  them.  The  old 
chief  became  his  friend.  He  helped  the  white  man,  whom  he 
and  his  people  called  “  Missi,”  to  learn  the  language. 

Missi  then  did  a  wonderful  thing;  he  printed  God’s  Word 
in  the  old  chief’s  language  so  that  he  and  his  people  could 
also  read  the  Bible. 

Day  after  day  Missi  worked  over  his  little  printing  press ; 
day  after  day  the  old  chief  hovered  near  to  help  with  the 
strange  words.  He  wanted  to  “  hear  the  book  speak,”  he 
said. 

“  Is  it  done,  Missi?  ”  he  would  ask. 

At  last  Missi  answered,  “  Yes,  Namakei,  it  is  done.” 

“  Does  it  speak  my  words?  ”  he  eagerly  asked. 

“  It  does.” 

Namakei  grew  excited.  “  Make  it  speak  to  me,  Missi ! 
Let  me  hear  it  speak.” 

Missi  read  to  him  from  the  Book,  and  the  old  chief 
shouted  with  joy. 

“  It  does  speak !  It  speaks  my  own  language,  too !  Oh, 
give  it  to  me !  ” 

He  grasped  it  hurriedly,  turned  it  all  around  every  way, 
pressed  it  to  his  bosom,  and  then,  closing  it  with  a  look  of 
great  disappointment,  handed  it  back  to  Missi. 

“  Missi,  I  cannot  make  it  speak !  It  will  never  speak 
to  me.” 

“  No,”  answered  Missi,  “  you  don’t  know  how  to  read  it 
yet,  and  how  to  make  it  speak  to  you,  but  I  will  teach  you 
how  to  read,  and  then  it  will  speak  to  you  as  it  does  to  me.” 

“  O  Missi,  dear  Missi,  show  me  how  to  make  it  speak !  ” 
begged  Namakei. 

He  was  straining  his  eyes  so  that  Missi  knew  that  he 
needed  glasses  to  see  the  letters. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


65 


He  gave  him  a  pair  of  spectacles  and  fitted  them  on  his 
brown  nose. 

The  old  chief  was  afraid  of  the  strange  things  at  first,  but 
when  he  looked  he  began  to  dance  with  joy. 

“  I  see  it  all  now !  This  is  what  you  told  us  about  Jesus ! 
He  opened  the  eyes  of  a  blind  man.  The  Word  of  Jesus  has 
just  come  to  Aniwa.  He  has  sent  me  these  glass  eyes.  I 
have  gotten  back  again  the  sight  that  I  had  when  I  was  a 
boy.  O  Missi,  make  the  book  speak  to  me  now !  ” 

So  Missi  drew  A  B  C  in  the  sand,  and  began  to  teach  the 
old  chief.  Day  after  day  he  worked  until  he  could  spell  out 
the  words  for  himself,  and  God’s  Word  began  to  speak  to 
him  whenever  he  opened  the  pages. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 
a  bibee  reading  lesson 

“  Be  ye  doers  of  the  word,  and  not  hearers  only.” 

— James  1  :22. 

“  Blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  keep  it.” 

— Luke  1 1 :28. 

“  Thy  word  is  a  lamp  unto  my  feet 
And  light  unto  my  path.” — Psalm  119:105. 

“  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
whole  creation.” — Mark  16:15. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  thy  Word  is  very  precious ;  we  thank 
thee  for  sending  it  to  us.  Help  us  to  remember  that  it  is  for 
all  thy  children.  We  would  be  willing  to  help  whenever  we 
are  able,  to  send  it  where  it  has  not  yet  gone.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

« 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Impromptu  dramatization  of  one  or  both  of  the  stories. 

The  collection  might  be  devoted  to  missions. 


CHAPTER  VII 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 


A  KING  AND  HIS  PEOPLE  CARING  FOR  GOD’S 

HOUSE 

II  Kings  12:4-15;  II  Chronicles  24:4-14 
Memory  Verse 

“  Enter  into  his  gates  with  thanksgiving, 

And  into  his  courts  with  praise.” — Psalm  100:4. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

At  this  period  Baal  worship  had  penetrated  throughout 
Judah,  and  the  Temple  on  the  hill  was  in  a  sad  state  of 
neglect.  God  was  forgotten  by  his  people,  and  idols  had  been 
erected  in  the  groves  and  high  places. 

Baal  worship  had  been  introduced  from  Tyre  and  was 
brought  into  great  prominence  at  the  time  of  the  marriage 
of  King  Ahab  of  Israel  to  the  Princess  Jezebel  of  Tyre. 
Athaliah,  the  grandmother  of  Joash,  the  king  mentioned  in 
to-day’s  story,  was  the  daughter  of  Jezebel,  and  was  like 
her  mother  in  her  adherence  to  this  worship. 

Read  II  Kings  11:1-17  for  an  account  of  the  early  life  of 
this  boy  king,  and  his  dramatic  escape  from  his  grandmother. 
After  the  death  of  Ahaziah,  father  of  the  baby,  Athaliah, 
the  queen  mother,  was  determined  to  occupy  the  throne.  She 
endeavored  to  kill  all  the  seed  royal  in  order  to  carry  out 
this  plan.  But  his  aunt,  Jehosheba,  rescued  him,  and  he  was 
hurried  to  the  Temple  and  hidden.  This  good  woman  was 
the  wife  of  the  priest  Jehoiada. 

The  child  lived  for  six  years  in  the  Temple  with  his  uncle 
and  aunt,  and,  of  course,  came  under  their  influence  through 
these  impressionable  years. 


66 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


67 


The  greatest  desire  of  Jehoiada's  life  was  to  see  the  over¬ 
throw  of  Baal,  the  return  of  the  people  to  God,  and  the 
restoration  of  this  last  little  heir  of  David  to  his  rightful 
place  on  the  throne. 

The  little  king  was  crowned  in  a  most  dramatic  way,  and 
Jehoiada  felt  that  his  life  wish  would  be  accomplished. 

The  story  for  to-day  tells  of  the  brightest  and  best  act  of 
his  whole  long  reign  of  almost  forty  years. 

Here  is  an  opportunity  to  give  a  much  needed  lesson  on 
the  proper  treatment  of  God’s  house  and  its  belongings. 
Children  often  are  careless  in  the  handling  of  books,  Bibles, 
and  furniture.  Even  their  entrance  into  the  building  some¬ 
times  indicates  their  thoughtless  attitude  toward  God’s  house. 


The:  Story 

Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  little  prince  whose  name  was 
Joash. 

When  he  was  only  a  baby  not  even  big  enough  to  walk,  he 
had  lived  in  a  palace  with  his  father  the  king,  but  one  night 
dreadful  things  happened.  The  king  was  killed,  and  his 
baby  son  was  no  longer  safe  in  his  home,  the  palace. 

People  were  searching  everywhere  for  the  little  prince. 
They  would  have  killed  him  if  he  could  have  been  found. 

Fortunately  the  baby  had  a  good  aunt  who  loved  him. 
She  hid  him  in  one  of  the  storerooms  of  the  palace.  Then, 
when  it  was  safe,  she  hurried  with  him  to  the  Temple,  God’s 
house  on  the  hill.  She  put  him  in  a  safe,  secret  room. 

The  uncle  was  a  priest  in  the  Temple.  Here  the  good 
uncle  and  aunt  took  care  of  the  little  prince  and  were  like  a 
father  and  mother  to  him. 

For  many  years  God’s  house  had  been  a  very  lonely,  quiet 
place.  Few  people  went  there;  and  God  was  forgotten.  The 
people,  instead  of  praying  to-  God,  bowed  down  to  idols  and 
worshiped  them.  The  Temple  was  growing  dusty  and  worn. 
The  doors  sagged  on  the  hinges ;  the  floors  were  worn  and 
dirty ;  the  gold  and  silver  and  brass  needed  polishing. 

Uncle  Jehoiada  grieved  about  this  every  day;  he  longed 
for  the  people  one  day  to  come  back  to  God. 

The  little  prince  grew,  and  the  years  passed  by.  He  had 
six  birthdays  in  God’s  house.  He  was  seven  years  old. 


68 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Then  a  very  wonderful  thing  happened.  His  uncle  managed 
to  have  him  made  the  king. 

He  told  his  secret  to  some  trusty  men.  “  The  real  little 
king  still  lives,”  he  said,  and  he  told  the  story.  How  glad 
they  were !  They  then  made  a  bold  plan. 

“  Stand  with  your  weapons  in  your  hand,”  Jehoiada  bade 
them  after  he  had  made  everything  clear.  “  Stand  on  guard ! 
Watch  !  Be  careful !  ” 

He  brought  the  seven-year-old  boy  out  before  them  all. 
He  placed  a  golden  crown,  all  glittering  with  precious  stones, 
upon  his  little  head,  and  put  a  roll  of  God’s  laws  in  his  hand. 
He  anointed  him  king. 

What  a  noise  of  rejoicing  then  rang  through  the  Temple! 
How  the  men  clapped  their  hands  and  shouted :  “  Long  live 
the  king  !  Long  live  the  king  !  ”  The  deed  was  done !  The 
boy  king  was  crowned ! 

One  day,  many  years  afterwards,  the  king  made  a  plan  to 
do  the  very  brightest  and  best  thing  that  any  king  could  do. 
He  remembered  the  place  where  he  had  been  so  safe  when 
he  was  a  little  boy,  God’s  house.  He  thought  of  the  broken 
floors ;  the  dull  gold  and  silver  and  brass ;  and  all  the  neg¬ 
lected  building. 

He  said,  “  I  will  make  it  new  again.” 

He  told  his  plan  to  Jehoiada,  his  uncle;  he  told  some  of 
the  men  who  helped  Jehoiada  in  the  Temple,  and  they  prom¬ 
ised  to  help. 

He  said  to  these  men :  “  Take  the  money  that  the  people 
give  to  mend  God’s  house.  Tell  them  that  the  Temple  must 
be  mended,  and  ask  the  people  to  give.” 

But  the  time  passed,  and  the  work  was  not  done.  The 
king  was  troubled,  and  he  called  the  priests  and  said,  “  Why 
do  you  not  mend  the  house  of  God?  ” 

He  talked  the  matter  over  with  his  uncle,  and  they  made 
another  plan.  “  God’s  house  shall  be  mended,”  he  said. 

They  took  a  chest  and  placed  it  near  the  altar.  It  was 
something  like  a  big,  wooden  box.  The  uncle  bored  a  hole 
in  the  lid.  When  the  people  came  to  the  Temple,  they  gave 
their  money  to  the  priests.  All  the  money  was  to  be  used 
to  mend  the  Temple. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


69 


Suggestions  tor  the  Devotional  Service 
a  bibee  reading  lesson 

“  We  have  thought  on  thy  lovingkindness,  O  God, 

In  the  midst  of  thy  temple.” — Psalm  48 :9. 

“  Blessed  are  they  that  dwell  in  thy  house : 

They  will  be  still  praising  thee.” — Psalm  84:4. 

“  I  had  rather  be  a  doorkeeper  in  the  house  of  my  God, 
Than  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  wickedness.” 

— Psalm  84:10b. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  that  we  are  always  wel¬ 
come  in  thy  house.  We  know  that  even  little  children  are 
welcome  for  thy  Book  says,  “  Suffer  the  little  children  to 
come  unto  me.”  Amen. 

a  VERSE  To  learn 

“  Praise  him,  praise  him,  all  ye  little  children, 

He  is  Love,  He  is  Love. 

Love  him,  love  him,  all  ye  little  children, 

He  is  Love,  He  is  Love.” 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Decorate  an  envelope  for  a  special  offering  for  God’s 
house. 

Draw  a  picture  of  a  church.  (Children’s  drawing.)  Under 
the  drawing  copy  one  of  the  Bible  reading  verses. 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

JESUS  IN  HIS  FATHER’S  HOUSE 
Mark  1:21-28;  Luke  20:1,  2;  21:1-4 
Memory  Verse 

“  Enter  into  his  gates  with  thanksgiving, 

And  into  his  courts  with  praise.” — Psalm  100:4. 


70 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  Teacher's  Preparation 

As  is  the  case  in  the  lesson  immediately  preceding  this, 
the  teacher  is  given  an  excellent  opportunity  of  teaching  a 
lesson  of  reverence  for  the  church,  God’s  house.  Although 
the  children  should  first  of  all  be  made  sure  of  their  abun¬ 
dant  welcome,  they  should  also  remember  that  the  church  is 
God’s  house,  and  that  careless  handling  of  books,  Bibles,  and 
other  belongings  is  distinctly  wrong ;  and  that  rude  and  bois¬ 
terous  entrance  is  lacking  in  respect  to  God. 

Two  stories  are  selected  from  the  life  of  Christ’s  to  show 
his  example  in  his  Father’s  house.  The  first  tells  of  his 
“  going  to  church  ”  (the  synagogue)  in  Capernaum,  the  busy 
city  which  he  chose  for  his  home. 

Capernaum  was  located  on  the  west  shore  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee,  and  was  at  the  junction  of  several  important  lines  of 
travel.  Nature  was  at  its  loveliest  here;  the  blue  sea  and  the 
near-by  hills  and  the  flowery  meadows  made  it  deeply  at¬ 
tractive  to  the  Son  who  was  so  deeply  sensitive  to  all  the 
beauties  in  his  Father’s  world.  The  Sabbath  found  him  in 
God’s  house  with  those  who  were  his  closest  friends. 

The  second  story  selected  tells  something  of  Jesus’  ex¬ 
perience  in  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem  where  he  had  gone  to 
attend  the  passover  feast  for  the  last  time. 

Story  One:  Walking  to  Church  with  Jesus 

Four  very  fortunate  men  woke  up  one  Sabbath  morning. 

In  the  first  place,  the  city  where  they  were  living  was  by 
the  side  of  a  wonderful  lake.  There  were  hills  and  meadows 
all  about  it,  and  their  eyes  could  look  at  beautiful  things  at 
every  turn. 

But  this  was  not  all :  These  men  lived  in  Capernaum 
at  the  time  that  Jesus  lived  there.  They  were  his  special 
friends,  and  they  were  going  to  walk  to  church  with  him 
that  Sabbath  morning. 

Peter  and  Andrew  and  James  and  John,  the  fishermen, 
were  the  four  men. 

They  went  through  the  town  to  the  synagogue,  as  the 
church  was  called ;  they  entered  the  building. 

There  were  other  people  who  had  also  gone  to  church,  and 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


71 


Jesus  spoke  to  them  and  taught  them.  He  told  them  about 
God  and  how  God  wanted  them  to  live.  The  people  won¬ 
dered  at  his  words. 

“  We  never  heard  anything  like  this  before,”  said  one  per¬ 
son  and  another,  as  they  listened. 

Now  there  happened  to  be  a  man  who  was  suffering  from 
a  strange  disease  who  came  to  church  that  day.  People  said 
that  he  had  an  evil,  unclean  spirit.  Often  the  man  cried  out 
and  said  words  that  he  could  not  seem  to  help  saying. 

Presently  he  exclaimed  to  Jesus:  “What  have  we  to  do 
with  thee,  Jesus  thou  Nazarene?  art  thou  come  to  destroy 
us  ?  I  know  thee  who  thou  art,  the  Holy  One  of  God.” 

Then  Jesus  spoke  to  the  unclean  spirit,  saying,  “  Hold  thy 
peace,  and  come  out  of  him.”  The  unclean  spirit  left  the 
man,  and  he  was  healed.  The  people  were  greatly  amazed, 
and  began  to  talk  together;  they  wondered  who  Jesus  was; 
they  wondered  about  his  power ;  they  carried  the  story  home 
with  them,  and  the  news  spread  throughout  all  the  region. 

Jesus  and  his  friends  left  the  church,  and  Jesus  went  home 
with  Peter. 

Story  Two:  How  to  Treat  God’s  House: 

It  was  holiday  time  in  Jerusalem.  People  were  going 
there  from  far  and  near.  The  roads  had  been  crowded  for 
days,  and  all  were  going  in  the  same  direction. 

Jesus  and  his  twelve  friends,  Peter  and  Andrew  and  James 
and  John  and  the  eight  other  men  went  there.  They  found 
the  city  full  of  noise  and  excitement. 

It  was  the  feast  of  the  passover,  and  all  were  going  to  the 
Temple  up  on  the  hill.  The  Temple  was  the  most  beautiful 
building  in  all  the  city ;  it  was  God’s  house. 

When  Jesus  and  his  friends  entered  the  Temple  courts 
they  heard  a  great  din.  “  Come,  buy  oil !  Come,  buy  oil ! 
My  oil  is  the  purest  and  the  best !  ”  shouted  a  man  from  a 
certain  booth  in  the  outer  court. 

From  another  booth  a  man  called:  “  Plere  is  wine  from 
the  vineyards  of  Bethlehem !  Come  buy  for  the  passover 
feast !  Mine  is  the  best !  ” 

From  other  booths  men  shouted,  “  Come  buy  doves  for  the 
sacrifice.” 


72 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


People  scrambled  over  one  another,  trying  to  get  the  best 
bargain  that  Monday  morning.  You  would  not  have  thought 
that  this  was  God’s  house. 

This  was  what  Jesus  saw  in  his  Father’s  house!  He 
heard  the  clinking  of  money  and  the  voices  of  men  quarrel¬ 
ing  over  prices  and  trying  to  get  the  best  of  the  bargains. 
It  seemed  as  if  some  of  the  men  would  surely  come  to  blows 
as  they  shouted  at  one  another.  And  this  was  his  Father’s 
house!  This  was  the  place  for  praise  and  prayer! 

When  Jesus  saw  these  men  who  cared  so  much  for  money 
that  they  forgot  where  they  were,  forgot  that  they  were  in 
God’s  house,  he  was  filled  with  both  sorrow  and  anger.  He 
drove  these  men  out  of  the  Temple  court,  for  his  Father’s 
sake.  He  overturned  the  tables  where  those  who  were  chang¬ 
ing  money  sat. 

He  said :  “  Do  ye  not  remember  how  it  is  written  in  the 
Bible,  ‘My  house  shall  be  called  a  house  of  prayer?’  Ye 
have  made  it  a  den  of  robbers!”  The  dishonest,  bargain¬ 
ing  men  went  out  of  the  Temple  court  while  a  crowd  of 
people  looked  on. 

Not  long  afterwards,  however,  a  very  pleasant  thing  hap¬ 
pened  to  make  Jesus  glad.  He  sat  with  his  disciples  in  a 
place  in  the  Temple  called  the  treasury ;  round  the  wall  were 
fastened  boxes  into  which  the  people  could  drop  their  money 
gifts  to  God.  Jesus  sat  watching.  Now  would  come  a 
proud-looking  Pharisee  who  dropped  in  a  large  offering  with 
a  loud  noise  ;  here  would  come  another  man  who  looked  about 
him  to  see  whether  others  were  noticing  the  size  of  his  gift. 
Many  rich  men  passed  by,  making  a  great  show  of  what  they 
had  to  give. 

Presently  Jesus’  face  became  bright  and  happy.  A  poor 
widow  drew  near  one  of  the  money  boxes,  and  quietly 
dropped  in  her  gift ;  it  was  but  two  mites — a  tiny,  tiny  offer¬ 
ing,  the  smallest  that  had  been  given ;  it  would  take  eight 
mites  to  make  a  penny. 

Jesus  turned  to  his  disciples  and  said:  “Truly  I  say  unto 
you  that  this  widow  has  given  more  than  all  the  rest.  They 
gave  of  their  plenty;  she  has  given  from  her  want;  she  has 
given  all  that  she  had.” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


73 


Suggestions  for  the  Devotionar  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  Oh  come  let  us  sing  unto  Jehovah ;  .  .  . 

Let  us  come  before  his  presence  with  thanksgiving ; 
Let  us  make  a  joyful  noise  unto  him  with  psalms.  .  .  . 
Oh  come,  let  us  worship  and  bow  down ; 

Let  us  kneel  before  Jehovah  our  Maker.” 

— Selected  from  Psalm  95. 

“  Serve  Jehovah  with  gladness: 

Come  before  his  presence  with  singing.” 

— Psalm  100:2. 


A  PRAYER  VERSE 


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PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  come  to  thy  house  to  praise  thee. 
We  thank  thee  for  our  welcome.  Help  us  always  to  remem¬ 
ber  that  the  church  is  thy  house,  and  that  thou  art  here. 
Help  us  to  treat  thy  house  and  all  that  is  within  it  as  we 
should  treat  our  heavenly  Father’s  possessions.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  one  of  the  Bible  Reading  Lesson  verses. 

It  may  be  possible  for  your  class  to  furnish  the  flower 
decoration  for  the  pulpit  for  one  Sunday. 

Write  a  short  story  (one  or  two  sentences)  about  the 
right  way  to  treat  God’s  house. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

KEEPING  THE  LORD’S  DAY 

Genesis  2:2,  3;  Exodus  20:8;  31:12,  13;  Psalms  100; 
118:24. 

Memory  Verse 

“  Remember  the  sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holy.” 

— Exodus  20:8. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

This  series  of  lessons  has  been  given  to  teach  the  children 
about  the  right  use  of  God’s  Book,  God’s  House,  and  God’s 
Day.  To-day’s  lesson  considers  the  Lord’s  Day. 

Tell  the  children  the  story  of  the  giving  of  the  law  con¬ 
cerning  the  keeping  of  the  Lord’s  Day.  Impress  upon  them 
the  solemnity  of  the  occasion,  and  the  importance  of  obey¬ 
ing  a  rule  which  God  has  given. 

Develop  the  thought  that  the  law  was  given  because  of 
God’s  love  for  us ;  that  it  was  for  our  good.  Refer  to  the 
need  of  a  day  of  rest  after  six  days  of  work ;  for  example, 
how  father  would  miss  his  Sabbath  Day,  if  he  could  not 
have  it;  how  all  fathers  would  suffer  without  a  day  of  rest. 

Suggest  some  right  ways  of  spending  God’s  day,  ways 
which  will  be  pleasing  to  him. 

Teach  a  new  praise  song  to-day. 

Beeore  the  Story 

The  best  earthly  gifts  that  God  has  given  to  boys  and 
girls  are  their  fathers  and  mothers.  Is  that  not  so? 

Another  of  the  very  best  of  God’s  gifts  is  a  home. 

There  was  a  time  long,  long  ago  when  God’s  chosen  people 
did  not  have  any  homes  in  which  to  live ;  they  had  had  to 
leave  the  land  where  they  had  been  living  and  run  away  from 
Pharaoh,  a  cruel  king.  But  God  promised  them  a  new  home, 
if  they  would  obey  him. 


74 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


75 


,  God  gave  ten  laws  to  his  people  to  keep.  These  laws  were 
called  “  The  Ten  Commandments.” 

The  First  Commandment  is:  “Thou  shalt  have  no  other 
gods  before  me.” 

One  of  the  laws  was  about  obeying  fathers  and  mothers. 

The  fourth  law  was  about  the  right  way  to  keep  God’s 
day.  God  said :  “  Remember  the  sabbath  day,  to  keep  it 
holy.”  I  am  going  to  tell  you  the  story  about  the  time  when 
God  gave  this  law  to  his  people. 

The:  Story 

Many  boys  and  girls  and  fathers  and  mothers,  hundreds 
and  hundreds  of  them,  were  going  on  a  long  journey. 

A  cruel  king,  called  Pharaoh,  had  made  their  lives  so 
hard  that  they  had  run  away  from  the  land  of  Egypt  where 
they  had  been  living. 

They  were  going  to  a  new  country.  God  had  promised  a 
new  home  to  them.  They  were  going  to  find  it.  God  helped 
them  to  get  away  from  Egypt. 

In  order  to  get  the  new  home  they  were  to  obey  God,  and 
to  do  as  he  told  them  to  do. 

The  leader  of  the  long  procession  was  Moses.  God  talked 
to  Moses  and  told  him  what  he  wished  the  people  to  do. 

Day  after  day  the  people  traveled  on  in  the  desert  place. 
God  led  them  by  a  cloud  up  in  the  sky. 

When  the  cloud  moved,  they  went  forward  on  their  jour¬ 
ney  ;  when  the  cloud  stopped,  they  set  up  their  tents  and 
rested.  At  night  the  cloud  was  like  a  bright  light. 

After  a  while  they  came  to  the  foot  of  a  great  mountain. 
(Make  a  sketch  upon  the  blackboard.)  Moses,  their  leader, 
went  up  into  the  mountain,  and  God  spoke  to  him.  God 
said :  “  I  have  something  to  say  to  my  people.  Tell  them  to 
make  themselves  ready  and,  on  the  third  day  from  now,  to 
come  to  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  Do  not  let  them  come 
too  near,  for  whoever  shall  touch  the  mountain  shall  die.” 

Moses  told  God’s  message  to  the  people.  They  washed 
their  clothes  and  bathed  themselves  and  made  ready  to  obey. 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  day  after  this,  there  were 
thunderings  and  lightnings  upon  the  mountain.  It  smoked 
and  shook.  A  trumpet  sounded  loud  and  long.  Moses  led 
the  people  out  of  their  tents  toward  the  mountain.  The 


76 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


trumpet  sounded  louder  and  louder.  Then,  on  this  solemn 
day,  the  people  waited  and  listened  to  hear  what  God  would 
say.  God  gave  ten  rules  to  his  people.  They  were  rules 
to  show  them  how  to1  live  in  order  to  please  him.  Keeping 
these  rules  would  surely  make  them  happy ;  but  breaking 
them  would  surely  bring  them  sorrow.  These  laws  were 
called  “  The  Ten  Commandments.” 

One  of  the  Ten  Commandments  that  the  people  heard  that 
day  was  this :  “  Remember  the  sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holy.” 


Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  And  on  the  seventh  day  God  finished  his  work  which 
he  had  made.” — Genesis  2  :2a. 

“  And  God  blessed  the  seventh  day.” — Genesis  2 :3a. 

“Ye  shall  keep  my  sabbaths.” — Leviticus  19:30a. 

“  This  is  the  day  which  Jehovah  hath  made; 

We  will  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it.” — Psalm  118:24. 

“  Remember  the  sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holy.” 

— Exodus  20:8. 


prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  the  Sabbath  which 
was  given  to-  us  for  a  day  of  rest.  Help  us  to  remember  that 
it  is  thy  day ;  help  us  to  keep  it  in  ways  pleasing  to  thee. 
Amen. 

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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


77 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  Bible  bookmark,  copying  the  Memory  Verse 
upon  it. 


» 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

JESUS’  WAY  OF  KEEPING  THE  SABBATH  DAY 

Luke  4:16-22;  John  5:1-18 
Memory  Verse 

“  This  is  the  day  which  Jehovah  hath  made; 

We  will  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it.” — Psalm  118:24. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

Jesus  loved  his  Father’s  house,  and  his  Father’s  day. 
Throughout  the  Gospels  there  are  many  references  to  his 
presence  in  God’s  house  and  to  his  teaching  on  the  Sabbath. 

Luke  tells  us  “  he  entered,  as  his  custom  was,  into  the 
synagogue  on  the  sabbath  day,  and  stood  up  to  read.”  Then 
he  describes  Jesus’  visit  to  the  synagogue  at  his  childhood 
home  in  the  city  of  Nazareth. 

One  of  the  mistakes  of  the  Pharisees  of  the  day,  however, 
was  their  manner  of  observing  the  Sabbath.  To  them  it  was 
a  day  of  absolute  adherence  to  a  mistaken  interpretation  of 
the  law.  Christ  reproached  them  for  their  hardness  and 
misunderstanding,  and  by  his  example  showed  them  the 
true  intention  of  God  in  one  of  his  most  beneficent  gifts. 

“  The  sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for  the 
sabbath,”  he  told  them. 

The  first  lesson  selection  describes  a  Sabbath  visit  of 
Jesus  to  the  house  of  God  at  his  boyhood  home  city. 

The  second  lesson  reference  describes  one  of  his  public 
examples  of  his  interpretation  of  the  law.  It  was  his  desire 
to  show  that  it  was  not  wrong  to  do  deeds  of  kindness  on 
the  Sabbath  Day. 


78 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


It  was  the  springtime  of  a.  d.  28,  and  the  passover  cele¬ 
bration  was  at  hand.  The  roads,  as  usual,  were  crowded 
with  pilgrims  on  the  way  to  Jerusalem  to  keep  the  holiday. 
Jesus  and  his  twelve  disciples  left  their  accustomed  haunts 
round  about  the  Sea  of  Galilee  where  Jesus  had  been  preach¬ 
ing  and  teaching  and  healing,  and  came  to  the  city  with  the 
other  travelers. 

There  was  a  certain  pool  called  Bethesda,  to  which  was 
attributed  miraculous  power.  At  times  its  waters  became 
strangely  agitated.  It  was  thought  that  a  person  afflicted 
with  disease  would  be  cured  if  he  could  reach  the  water  first 
and  bathe  himself  in  it  at  the  time  of  the  “  troubling  of  the 
water”  (margin). 

Porches  had  been  built  over  the  water,  and  at  all  times 
these  were  filled  with  persons  suffering  from  serious  dis¬ 
eases — waiting. 

In  this  day  medical  science  had  not  made  any  great  ad¬ 
vance;  charms  and  enchantments  were  resorted  to  by  the 
superstitious. 

Amongst  the  pitiful  crowd  at  the  pool  was  a  man  who 
had  been  in  a  helpless  condition  for  thirty-eight  years. 
Owing  to  his  condition  he  was  poor ;  he  also  seems  to  have 
been  friendless.  Others  not  SO'  helpless  always  reached  the 
waters  at  the  critical  moment  first.  Over  and  over  again  he 
had  tried  and  failed ;  he  had  failed  until  his  will  power  had 
vanished,  and  he  remained  there  year  after  year  apathetic, 
discouraged,  and  hopeless. 

Then  Jesus  came. 

Do  not  forget  to  arouse  sympathy  for  the  unfortunate  and 
the  afflicted  by  your  story ;  it  will  be  a  secondary  theme  to 
stress;  the  main  thought,  of  course,  is  to  picture  Jesus’ 
way  of  keeping  the  Sabbath. 


The:  Story 

It  was  the  Sabbath  Day  in  Jerusalem.  There  were  ever 
so  many  more  people  than  usual  in  the  city,  because  it  was 
passover  time. 

The  passover  was  a  great  holiday ;  the  people  kept  it 
every  year  as  a  time  for  rejoicing. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


79 


People  came  to'  the  city  from  far  distances  to  attend  the 
feast  and  to  go  to  the  beautiful  Temple  up  on  the  hill. 

Jesus  and  his  twelve  friends  left  their  homes  by  the  Sea 
of  Galilee  to  go  to  the  passover  feast. 

The  Sabbath  Day  came,  and  he  and  his  friends  went  to 
the  Temple,  God’s  house.  Jesus  loved  his  Father’s  house. 

Now,  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  there  was  a  small  pool 
called  the  pool  of  Bethesda.  There  was  something  strange 
about  these  waters :  at  certain  times  odd  little  waves 
rose  up  over  them,  and  the  people  said  the  waters  became 
“  troubled.” 

It  was  thought  that  these  waters  had  power  to  heal  people 
of  their  diseases.  However,  to  be  healed,  the  sick  person 
had  to  reach  the  water  first  and  bathe  himself  in  it. 

Five  porches  with  steps  leading  right  down  into'  the  water 
had  been  built  for  these  sick  people.  A  great  many  people 
lay  upon  these  porches ;  many  of  them  came  every  day ; 
many  of  them  were  cripples;  all  of  them  were  suffering  and 
ill.  Some  of  them  had  crutches ;  some  of  them  had  twisted 
legs ;  some  of  them  had  such  helpless  limbs  that  they  could 
not  walk  at  all,  but  had  to  be  carried  by  friends.  They  were 
brought  because  it  was  said  that  whoever  stepped  into  the 
water  first,  after  it  was  troubled,  was  healed  of  whatever 
disease  he  had. 

One  of  the  most  helpless  of  all  the  people  in  the  porches 
was  a  poor  man  who  had  been  a  cripple  for  thirty-eight 
years ! 

Now  that  day  Jesus  was  on  his  way  to  the  Temple,  as 
the  church  was  called,  and  he  passed  by  the  pool  where  the 
poor,  sick  people  waited  for  the  troubling  of  the  waters.  He 
saw  the  lame  man,  and  he  pitied  him. 

“  Wouldest  thou  be  made  well  ?  ”  he  asked  in  his  kind 
voice. 

“  Sir,  I  have  no  man,  when  the  water  is  troubled,  to  put 
me  into  the  pool,”  the  sick  man  said  in  a  dull,  tired  voice. 
“  While  I  am  coming,  another  steppeth  down  before  me. 
I  have  no  chance  at  all.” 

Then  Jesus  said  a  surprising  thing.  “  Arise,  take  up  thy 
bed,  and  walk.” 

Immediately  that  man  who  had  been  so  long  lame,  the 


80 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


man  who  had  lost  all  hope  and  would  not  even  try  to  get  to 
the  water,  rose  up  on  his  weak  legs,  and  walked ! 

This  happened  on  the  Sabbath  Day,  and  some  of  the  Jews 
exclaimed :  “  See  that  man  carrying  his  bed  on  the  Sabbath 
Day !  That  is  a  wrong  thing  to  do.” 

“  The  Man  who  healed  me  told  me  to  take  up  my  bed  and 
walk,”  said  the  lame  man,  and  his  happy  face  was  good  to 
look  upon. 

“  Who  told  thee  to  take  up  thy  bed  and  walk  ?  ”  asked  the 
people. 

But  the  man  could  not  tell  them,  for  Jesus  had  gone  on 
his  way. 

And  this  was  only  one  of  the  times  that  Jesus  showed  the 
people  that  it  is  right  to  do  a  kindness  on  the  Sabbath  Day. 


Suggestions  tor  the  Devotional  Service 

a  bibee  reading  lesson 

“  This  is  the  day  which  Jehovah  hath  made; 

We  will  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it.” — Psalm  118:24. 

“  And  he  said  unto  them,  The  sabbath  was  made  for  man, 
and  not  man  for  the  sabbath.” — Mark  2  :27. 

“  It  is  lawful  to  do  good  on  the  sabbath  day.” 

— Matthew  12:12b. 

“  Remember  the  sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holy.” 

— Exodus  20:8. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  thy  gift  of  the  Sab¬ 
bath  Day.  Help  us  to  spend  it  in  ways  which  we  know  will 
please  thee.  We  thank  thee  for  the  example  which  Jesus 
has  given.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  blackboard  decoration  of  bells,  writing  beneath  it 
the  sentence,  “  The  Sabbath  Bells  Are  Ringing.” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


81 


A  Folding  Problem 

Make  a  church  to  help  you  remember  what  all  children 
need.  Fold  on  the  dotted  lines.  Cut  on  the  solid  lines. 
Paste  together  the  squares  marked  +•  Paste  the  square 
marked  O  to  that  with  the  door.  Paste  the  steeple  in  place. 


PRAYER  AND  PRAISE 


CHAPTER  IX 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

PRAYING  FOR  A  FRIEND 
Acts  12:3-17 
Memory  Verse 

“Pray  one  for  another. ” — James  5:16. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

The  lessons  under  this  theme,  “  Prayer  and  Praise,”  fur¬ 
nish  means  for  a  further  consideration  of  the  response  which 
God’s  children  should  make  to  him  for  all  his  wonderful 
goodness  to  them. 

This  lesson  takes  us  to  the  time  when  the  early  Chris¬ 
tians  were  just  beginning  to  carry  on  the  work  their  Lord 
had  left  them  to  do  in  the  first  years  after  his  return  to  his 
heavenly  home.  They  were  trying  to  adjust  themselves  to 
the  new  conditions,  and  obey  Christ’s  last  command. 

These  first  followers  were  regarded  with  intense  hatred 
by  the  Jews  who  held  the  last  scenes  in  the  life  of  Jesus  in 
such  vivid  remembrance.  The  lives  of  the  early  Christians 
were  in  the  greatest  danger. 

Herod  Agrippa  I  was  at  this  time  king  over  all  Judea. 
Caligula  was  Emperor  of  Rome,  and  Herod  had  performed 
such  favors  for  him  that  he  had  been  appointed  as  king  over 
Judea. 

But  his  high  position  brought  heavy  cares  with  it.  He 
was  a  descendant  of  the  line  of  Esau,  an  Edomite,  and  the 
descendants  of  Jacob  and  the  descendants  of  Esau  had  ever 
been  at  variance.  His  life  was  a  constant  endeavor  to  please 
his  overlord,  the  emperor  of  Rome,  and  also  his  subjects, 
the  Jews,  who  really  were  hostile  to  him. 

One  of  his  vicious  acts  to  curry  favor  with  his  subjects 
was  the  murder  of  James,  Jesus’  disciple,  the  brother  of 

85 


86 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


John.  This  disciple  had  been  one  of  the  bravest  of  the  little 
band  after  his  Master’s  ascension. 

The  Castle  Antonia 

Joined  to  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  Temple  area 
was  a  stone  building  which  had  been  erected  by  the  Romans. 
It  was  the  Castle  Antonia,  a  fortress  and  a  prison. 

In  it  were  stationed  Roman  soldiers  whose  duty  it  was  to 
keep  watch  over  the  proceedings  in  the  Temple,  and  to 
keep  order  and  quell  disorder  should  it  arise.  It  was  con¬ 
nected  with  the  Temple  by  a  stairway  and  by  a  subterranean 
passage. 

The  Jews  were  enraged  by  this,  but  were  compelled  to 
submit  to  the  conquering  power. 

Herod,  in  order  to  please  his  subjects,  seized  every  occa¬ 
sion  possible  to  oppress  and  torment  the  little  band  of 
Christ’s  followers. 


The  Story 

“  Guard  the  door  carefully,  Rhoda.  Thou  knowest  the 
reason,”  and  Rhoda’s  good  friend  looked  at  the  little  maid 
soberly. 

Indeed  Rhoda  did  know  the  reason.  She  needed  no 
second  bidding.  She  loved  the  good  mistress  of  the  house ; 
and  she  loved  the  company  of  good  people  who  gathered 
there  every  day. 

To-day  every  face  in  the  house  was  sober.  One  face  that 
Rhoda  knew  very  well  was  absent.  Peter,  the  good  man, 
who  so  often  told  the  most  wonderful  stories  about  Jesus, 
was  not  there. 

It  was  only  a  little  while  since  Jesus  himself  had  been  in 
Jerusalem.  Peter  often  had  told  about  the  days  he  had  spent 
with  his  Master. 

But  Peter  would  not  be  with  them  to-day;  that  was  why 
all  the  faces  were  sober.  That  was  why  Mary,  the  mistress 
of  the  house,  said,  “  Guard  the  door  carefully,  Rhoda.” 

Peter  was  in  prison;  the  king’s  soldiers  had  caught  him 
and  put  him  there. 

The  king  and  the  people  of  Jerusalem  hated  Jesus  even 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


87 


now  that  he  had  gone  back  to  the  heavenly  home.  They 
hated  Peter  for  talking  about  him. 

The  king’s  soldiers  caught  him  and  put  him  in  prison. 
He  was  bound  with  two'  chains.  Two  soldiers  slept  beside 
him  at  night,  and  keepers  before  his  door  kept  watch. 

Mary  and  her  son  John  and  Peter’s  friends,  all  who  had 
loved  Jesus,  met  together  in  this  house  to  pray  to  God  about 
their  trouble.  They  spent  many  hours  in  prayer  for  Peter. 

The  king  thought  to  himself :  “  I  will  wait  until  after  the 
passover.  Then  I  will  give  this  troublesome  man,  Peter,  to 
his  enemies.” 

So  Peter  slept  in  prison  with  both  hands  fastened  to  a 
soldier,  while  his  friends  prayed  for  him. 

Now  in  the  quiet  hours  of  darkness  a  strange  and  won¬ 
derful  thing  happened.  Suddenly  a  light  shone  through  the 
prison  cell ;  an  angel  of  the  Lord  entered.  The  angel  smote 
Peter  on  the  side,  and  raised  him  up.  He  said,  “  Rise  up 
quickly.”  Then  the  chains  fell  from  Peter’s  hands ;  but  the 
two  soldiers  slept  on. 

“  Put  on  your  cloak  and  your  sandals  and  follow  me,” 
said  the  angel,  and  Peter  obeyed.  It  was  all  so  strange  that 
Peter  thought  that  what  he  was  doing  could  not  be  true. 
He  thought  that  he  was  dreaming.  But  he  did  all  that  the 
angel  told  him. 

He  followed  the  angel.  They  left  the  two  soldiers  sleep¬ 
ing  in  the  cell.  They  passed  the  other  guards  outside  the 
door. 

They  came  to  the  great  gate  that  led  into  the  street.  It 
opened  of  its  own  accord!  They  went  into  the  dark  street 
of  the  city.  They  passed  through  one  street,  and  then  the 
angel  departed. 

Peter  was  free.  It  was  no  dream.  There  was  the  city, 
just  as  he  knew  it.  The  prison  and  the  soldiers  were  all 
behind  him.  He  was  free  ! 

He  said  to  himself,  “  I  surely  know,  now,  that  God  hath 
sent  his  angel  and  hath  taken  me  out  of  the  hands  of  Herod.” 

He  hurried  along  until  he  came  to  the  house  of  two  of  his 
friends.  Many  of  his  friends  were  there,  praying  for  him. 
Peter  knocked.  Rhoda  heard  and  came  to  listen. 

She  heard  the  voice  of  a  man  without.  It  was  Peter’s 


88 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


voice.  She  was  so  glad  that  she  forgot  to  open  the  door. 
She  left  Peter  still  knocking,  and  ran  to  the  group  of  friends. 

“  Peter  has  come !  He  stands  at  the  door !  ”  she  cried. 

But  they  thought  of  the  strong  fortress  and  the  cells  and 
the  soldiers.  They  thought  that  it  could  not  be  Peter. 

Peter  continued  knocking ;  he  may  have  knocked  very 
loud,  for  that  would  have  been  like  Peter.  They  hurried 
to  the  door.  It  was,  indeed,  Peter.  Then  Peter  told  them 
the  wonderful  story.  Those  people  believed  more  than  ever 
that  God  hears  the  prayers  that  are  spoken  to  him. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“Hear  my  voice,  O  God.” — Psalm  64:1a. 

“Jehovah  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him, 

To  all  that  call  upon  him  in  truth.” — Psalm  145:18. 

“  Pray  without  ceasing.” — I  Thessalonians  5  :1 7. 

PRAYER 

“  After  this  manner  therefore  pray  ye  ”: 

(The  Lord’s  Prayer.) 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

A  Suggested  Dramatization :  One  of  the  girls  may  repre¬ 
sent  Rhoda;  one  of  the  boys  may  represent  Peter;  several 
other  pupils  may  represent  the  inmates  of  the  house.  The 
boy  impersonating  Peter  may  tell  his  experience  in  the  first 
person. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

PRAYERS  AND  THEIR  ANSWERS 
II  Samuel,  chapter  7;  Mark  10:46-52 
Memory  Verse 

“Your  Father  knoweth  what  things  ye  have  need  of,  be¬ 
fore  ye  ask  him.” — Matthew  6:8b. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


89 


The  Teacher's  Preparation 

While  we  are  turning  the  thoughts  of  the  children  to  the 
subject  of  prayer,  and  are  endeavoring  to  give  them  some 
conception  of  the  way  we  should  appeal  to  our  heavenly 
Father,  it  will  be  necessary  also  to  consider  the  answers  that 
our  Father  gives. 

We  are  directed  to  offer  prayer  with  the  whole  heart  and 
soul ;  with  understanding ;  with  confidence  in  God ;  with 
boldness,  earnestness,  and  importunity ;  with  desire  to  be 
heard ;  with  expectation  of  receiving  an  answer. 

We  are  told  when  to  pray :  day  and  night ;  without  ceasing. 

We  are  told  how  to  pray  and  for  whom. 

Wonderful  examples  are  given  of  the  positive,  affirmative 
answer  which  God  likes  to  give  to  the  prayers  of  his 
children. 

It  is  right,  however,  to  explain  to  the  children  that  the 
answer  is  not  always  in  the  affirmative ;  that  it  cannot  be. 
Sometimes  the  answer  “  No  ”  is  given  because  it  is  best. 

Explain  to  the  pupils  that  God’s  “  No  ”  is  like  father’s 
“  No.”  It  is  given  because  God  understands  what  is  best  for 
us  even  before  we  ask;  that  sometimes  the  “  No”  is  diffi¬ 
cult  for  us  to  understand  and  hard  to  receive ;  but  that  it  is 
given  because  of  a  wiser  knowledge. 

Two  Biblical  stories  are  given  for  this  lesson:  One  story 
tells  of  an  answer  “  No  ”  and  a  very  clear  reason  for  the  an¬ 
swer  is  given.  The  other  story  tells  of  an  answer  “  Yes.” 

David’s  reception  of  the  answer  to  his  prayer  to  be  al¬ 
lowed  to  build  a  new  house  for  God  should  be  brought  out 
very  clearly  in  your  story. 

The  two  incidents  occurred  about  a  thousand  years  apart ; 
the  building  of  the  Temple  occurred  a  little  less  than  one 
thousand  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ. 

David’s  kingdom  (the  United  Kingdom)  was  at  the  height 
of  its  glory. 

David’s  palace  of  cedar  wood  was  a  satisfaction  to  the 
heart  of  the  man  who  had  lived  in  a  tent,  out  in  the  fields  as 
a  shepherd,  and  even  in  the  caves  of  the  wilderness  during 
his  life  as  a  fugitive  from  Saul. 

Now  he  dreamed  and  planned  for  a  fitting  house  for  the 


90 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


God  who  had  been  his  Guide  and  Helper  through  all  his 
life.  He  told  his  wish  and  plans  to  Nathan  the  prophet. 

The  plans  seem  fitting  and  proper  at  first  sight.  But 
when  the  thought  was  taken  tO'  God  in  prayer  the  answer 
“  No  ”  was  given.  For  the  best  good  of  the  kingdom  it  was 
preferable  to  wait.  God  had  other  work  for  David  to  do. 

Story  One:  :  David's  Prayer  and  the  Answer 

There  was  once  a  king  named  David  who  lived  in  a  very 
beautiful  palace.  It  was  the  most  beautiful  building  in  all 
his  kingdom. 

The  wood  had  been  cut  from  the  forest  of  a  far-away 
country.  Great,  tall  trees  of  cedar  had  been  hewn  for  this 
palace,  and  the  sweet  smell  of  the  wood  was  wafted  all 
through  the  rooms. 

Carpenters  and  masons  had  been  sent  from  a  far-away 
land  to  build  the  palace.  They  were  the  most  skillful  work¬ 
men  that  could  be  found;  and  they  did  their  best,  their  very 
best. 

It  was  no  wonder  that  David  and  all  his  people  were  very 
proud  of  this  wonderful  new  palace. 

Now  when  David  sat  in  his  palace  and  looked  out  toward 
a  certain  hill,  his  face  became  troubled. 

Over  there  a  tent  could  be  seen.  In  it  was  the  most 
precious  thing  in  the  whole,  wide  kingdom.  It  was  the  Ark 
of  God. 

The  Ark  of  God  was  like  a  long,  golden  box.  Over  it 
were  the  figures  of  two  golden  angels  with  outstretched 
wings.  Two  long  handles  were  passed  through  golden  rings  ; 
by  these  the  Ark  was  to  be  carried.  The  Ark  was  the  sign 
of  God’s  nearness  to  his  people. 

David  would  look  from  his  palace  windows  and  think : 
“  Here  am  I  living  in  a  fine  palace  made  of  cedar  wood, 
while  the  Ark  of  God  is  in  a  tent.  It  is  as  if  I  thought  a 
tent  good  enough  for  the  house  of  my  God.  Why  should  I, 
David,  live  in  a  house  finer  than  the  house  of  my  God  ?  ” 

Then  he  said  to  himself :  “  I  will  build  a  beautiful  house 
for  God.  It  shall  be  more  splendid  than  my  palace ;  it  shall 
be  the  most  beautiful  dwelling  that  I  can  make.  It,  too, 
shall  have  beams  of  cedar.  There  shall  be  golden  doors 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


91 


swung  on  golden  hinges,  floors  of  marble,  and  trimmings  of 
precious  stones.” 

Now  there  was  a  very  wise,  good  man  named  Nathan  who 
lived  in  Jerusalem.  He  was  a  prophet;  that  is,  he  was  one 
of  those  men  to  whom  God  often  spoke  and  told  his  wishes. 
Nathan  was  a  friend  of  King  David. 

King  David  called  the  prophet  to  him  and  told  him  all 
his  plans.  “  Why  should  I  live  in  a  palace,  Nathan,  when 
our  God  dwells  in  that  tent  over  yonder?  Shall  I  have  a 
finer  dwelling  than  God?  I  will  build  a  splendid  house  for 
him.  It  shall  be  of  cedar,  with  floors  of  marble  and  doors 
of  gold  hung  on  golden  hinges.  It  shall  have  splendid  purple 
curtains,  and  shall  be  trimmed  with  precious  stones.” 

Nathan  thought  the  king’s  plan  right  and  good,  and  he 
said,  “  Let  the  king  do1  all  that  is  in  his  mind.”  But  that 
night  an  answer  came  from  God  to  Nathan.  He  said : 
“  Tell  King  David  that  it  is  not  my  wish  for  him  to  build 
me  a  splendid  house.  Have  I  not  gone  with  my  people  from 
place  to  place  in  their  wanderings  and  had  but  a  tent  for 
shelter?  It  is  not  best  for  David  to  build  me  a  house  just 
now.  I  have  other  work  for  him  to  do.  But  tell  my  servant 
David  that  I  am  well  pleased  with  him.  Tell  him  that  his  son 
shall  build  me  a  house.”  The  answer  was  “  No.”  Nathan 
went  to  the  palace,  and  told  King  David  all  that  God  had 
said.  Now  David  loved  God  so  much  that  he  was  willing 
to  take  God’s  answer,  “  No.”  He  knelt  down  and  told  God 
what  was  in  his  heart,  in  words  something  like  this :  “  O 
God,  I  thank  thee  for  all  the  great  things  that  thou  hast 
done  for  me  all  the  days  of  my  life.  I  wanted  to  make  a 
beautiful  house  for  thee,  but  if  it  is  not  thy  wish,  I  will  not 
build  it.  Whatever  is  thy  wish,  David  is  ready  to  do.” 

Story  Two  :  An  Answer  to  a  Blind  Man’s  Prayer 

Once  upon  a  time,  in  the  days  when  Jesus  lived  upon 
earth,  there  was  a  man  named  Bartimaeus. 

He  lived  in  a  city  where  there  were  beautiful  trees  and 
flowers  and  splendid  buildings.  But  Bartimaeus  could  not 
see  anything  in  all  the  city  of  Jericho;  he  was  blind. 

When  he  walked  he  had  to  feel  his  way  along  and  use  a 
staff.  He  could  not  read.  He  could  not  work. 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


He  was  poor  because  he  could  not  see  to  do  anything  to 
earn  any  money.  He  was  so  poor  that  he  sat  by  the  way- 
side  and  begged  of  the  people  who  passed  along. 

One  thing  Bartimseus  could  do  :  He  could  hear. 

As  the  poor  blind  man  sat  begging,  one  day,  he  heard  that 
something  unusual  was  happening  in  the  street.  People 
were  talking  very  earnestly.  There  was  a  noise  as  if  a 
crowd  was  gathering.  The  tramping  came  nearer. 

It  sounded  as  if  people  were  trying  to  get  a  good  place  in 
the  street  where  they  could  see. 

See !  Bartimseus  would  not  be  able  to  see  what  was 
passing ! 

The  blind  man  wondered  what  the  noise  meant,  but  no 
one  told  him. 

Presently  he  said  to  some  one :  “  Why  are  people  hurry¬ 
ing  ?  What  is  happening  ?  ” 

“Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  passing  by!  ”  people  told  him,  and 
then  hurried  on. 

Bartimseus  had  heard  the  name  of  Jesus;  in  some  way  he 
had  learned  about  a  number  of  very  wonderful  things  that 
Jesus  had  done  for  poor  sick  and  blind  people  like  himself. 

“If  only  I  could  be  made  to  see!”  he  said  to  himself. 
Then  he  thought,  “  I  will  ask  for  Jesus’  help.” 

He  groped  his  way  toward  a  place  where  Jesus  would 
pass.  He  would  be  ready  to  ask  when  the  Master  drew 
near.  He  began  to  feel  very  sure  that  Jesus  would  help 
him,  if  only  he  could  reach  him. 

Then  Jesus  came.  Bartimseus  called:  “Jesus,  have  mercy 
on  me !  ”  His  cry  was  really  a  prayer.  He  called  so  loudly 
and  earnestly  that  some  one  in  the  crowd  said,  “  Hold  thv 
peace !  ”  which  is  the  same  as  saying,  “  Keep  still !  ” 

But  Bartimseus  would  not  stop  his  prayer  to  Jesus ;  he 
raised  his  voice  the  louder,  begging:  “  Jesus,  help  me  !  Jesus, 
help  me !  ” 

Jesus  heard,  even  above  the  noise  of  the  crowd;  he  is 
always  listening  for  voices  that  call  to  him. 

He  said,  “  Bring  the  man  to  me.” 

“  Be  of  good  cheer :  rise,  he  calleth  thee,”  said  some  one 
to  Bartimseus. 

The  blind  man  rose ;  he  threw  aside  his  old,  long  coat  that 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


93 


it  might  not  make  him  stumble.  He  hurried  as  quickly  as 
he  could. 

Jesus  said,  “  What  wouldst  thou  have  me  do'  for  thee?  ” 

“  Lord,  that  I  may  receive  my  sight.” 

Jesus  said:  “Thou  shalt  receive  thy  sight.  Because  thou 
hast  believed  that  I  could  do  this  for  thee,  I  give  thee  sight. 
Believing  on  me  hath  saved  thee.” 

Then  the  dull  eyes  became  bright.  Bartimaeus  saw  Jesus’ 
face!  He  saw  the  trees  and  the  houses  and  the  flowers  and 
the  people  in  the  crowd.  But  his  eyes  turned  back  to'  Jesus, 
and  he  followed  after  him,  thanking  and  praising  him  for 
answering  his  prayer. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 

(Repeat  the  service  for  the  lesson  preceding,  adding  the 
Memory  Verse.) 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  an  Oriental  house  from  a  box;  use  a  smaller  box 
for  the  upper  room. 


CHAPTER  X 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

DANIEL  IN  THE  LIONS’  DEN 
Daniel,  chapter  6 
Memory  Verse 

“  Jehovah  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him.” 

— Psalm  145:18a. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 
babyeon 

The  city  of  Babylon  is  the  scene  of  our  lesson  for  to-day. 
The  great  capital  of  the  Persians  had  reached  the  height  of 
its  glorious  existence. 

Although  there  is  some  question  by  scholars  as  to  the 
monarch  at  this  time,  it  is  supposed  that  the  reigning  king 
was  Cyrus.  Darius  is  thought  to  have  been  one  of  the  un¬ 
derrulers  of  Cyrus,  left  in  charge  of  affairs  at  this  time. 

Babylon  was  a  remarkable  city ;  it  was  well  situated,  and 
its  rulers  had  taken  advantage  of  this  fact  to  forward  its 
growth. 

It  was  thought  to  be  well-nigh  unconquerable,  and  its 
surrounding  walls  were  of  immense  height  and  thickness. 
It  has  been  recorded  that  the  top  was  broad  enough  for  the 
turning  of  a  chariot  drawn  by  four  horses. 

Fine  houses,  three  and  four  stories  high,  were  to  be  found 
along  the  streets.  These  broad  streets  led  down  to  the 
river  Euphrates.  Ships  from  all  countries  brought  luxuries 
and  necessities  to  the  inhabitants. 

The  city  was  beautified  by  colossal  statues  of  gods,  of 
their  king's,  and  of  beasts. 

Daniel  had  been  carried  captive  here  during  the  reign  of 
the  great  Nebuchadnezzar,  who'  had  conquered  Jerusalem. 
He  had  been  an  unusual  character  since  boyhood,  and  had 


94 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


95 


risen  step  by  step  in  the  estimation  of  the  rulers,  and  in  the 
affairs  of  the  kingdom.  He  was  now  an  old  man,  and  was 
one  of  the  under  rulers  of  the  city. 

Because  he  was  a  Jew,  he  was  hated  by  certain  men  of 
affairs  in  the  kingdom,  and  they  plotted  to  injure  him  in  the 
eyes  of  the  king.  This  would  mean  his  complete  humbling 
and  possibly  his  death,  as  the  king  was  an  erratic  man,  easily 
prejudiced  and  of  an  ungovernable  nature. 

Before:  the  Story 

Decorate  the  blackboard  with  a  large  sketch  of  a  bold¬ 
looking  lion,  or  a  border  of  several  lions.  The  children  will 
be  won  to  immediate  attention  when  you  announce  that  you 
have  a  lion  story  to  tell  them  to-day. 

The  Story 

There  was  once  a  man  named  Daniel  wlm  had  been  stolen 
away  from  home  when  he  was  a  young  boy.  He  and  a 
number  of  other  boys,  rich  men’s  sons,  had  been  carried 
away  from  their  homes  in  Jerusalem  to  a  far  country. 

A  great  king  and  his  soldiers  had  marched  into  the  city, 
had  stolen  these  boys,  and  had  taken  them  away  to  Babylon. 

Babylon  was  a  wonderful  city  with  a  strong  wall  all 
round  it,  and  fine  houses  and  broad  streets. 

Daniel  was  taken  to  be  trained  in  the  palace  to  serve  the 
king. 

That  was  many  years  before ;  Daniel  was  now  a  man. 
The  king  who  had  ruled  at  that  time  had  liked  the  smart, 
bright  boy ;  he  became  one  of  the  king’s  best  servants. 
Daniel  served  other  kings,  too,  after  this  king  died. 

He  served  so  well  that  by  and  by  the  king  of  Babylon 
made  him  a  sort  of  ruler  to  help  him. 

But  Daniel  had  been  a  captive  from  Jerusalem.  Many  of 
the  people  remembered  this,  and  grew  jealous  and  hated  him. 

“  The  king  has  made  that  Daniel  a  ruler  over  the  land,” 
some  one  exclaimed. 

“  He  was  once  only  a  captive !  ”  said  another. 

“  A  captive  from  Jerusalem,  and  now  ruler  over  us !  ”  they 
cried. 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Then  they  plotted  to  find  some  way  of  making  trouble  for 
Daniel. 

At  last  these  bad  men  thought  that  they  had  found  a  way. 
They  had  seen  Daniel  praying  very  often  by  his  open  win¬ 
dow.  They  knew  that  the  king  did  not  pray  to  Daniel’s 
God ;  he  worshiped  an  idol. 

They  went  before  the  king  and  exclaimed:  “  O  king,  live 
forever!  We  wish  to  honor  thee,  O  king!  All  thy  presi¬ 
dents  and  princes  and  captains  and  great  men  ask  thee  to 
make  this  rule:  WHOSOEVER,  FOR  THIRTY  DAYS, 
ASKS  ANYTHING  OF  ANY  GOD  OR  MAN,  EXCEPT 
OF  THEE,  LET  HIM  BE  THROWN  INTO  THE 
LIONS’  DEN.  Make  this  law  a  fast  rule,  O  king.  Sign 
the  writing  so  that  it  may  not  be  changed.” 

The  king  was  a  vain  man ;  he  was  pleased.  He  signed  the 
writing,  and  it  was  made  a  law.  Whosoever  asked  anything 
of  any  god  or  man  for  thirty  days,  except  of  him,  was  to  be 
thrown  into  the  lions’  den. 

Of  course  Daniel  heard  about  the  new  law.  But  he  was 
a  brave  man.  When  the  hour  for  his  praying  came,  he 
went  to  his  room  and  knelt  down  to  ask  God’s  blessing,  just 
as  usual.  He  did  not  even  cover  his  window. 

The  bad  men  were  watching;  they  heard  and  saw  just 
what  they  wanted.  “  There  he  is !  Aha,  now  we  have 
caught  Daniel !  There  he  is  kneeling !  ” 

They  hurried  to  the  king.  They  exclaimed :  “  Hast  thou 
not  made  a  law  that  no  one  may  ask  anything  of  any  god 
or  man,  except  of  thee,  for  thirty  days?  Hast  thou  not 
said  that  anyone  who  breaks  this  law  shall  be  thrown  into 
the  lions’  den  ?  ” 

The  king  answered,  “  This  is  true ;  the  law  cannot  be 
broken.” 

Then  they  exclaimed :  “  Daniel,  who'  is  one  of  the  people 
of  Israel,  hath  disobeyed  thee,  O  king.  He  has  broken  thy 
rule.  He  prays  to  his  God  three  times  a  day.” 

The  king  was  sorry.  How  angry  he  was  that  he  had 
made  this  wicked,  foolish  rule !  He  considered  how  he  could 
save  Daniel,  and  change  the  law  he  had  made.  He  worried 
until  sundown. 

But  the  bad  men  said,  “  O  king,  remember  that  no  law 
that  the  king  has  signed  can  ever  be  changed !  ” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


97 


So  poor  Daniel  was  thrown  into  the  lions’  den ;  the  door 
was  shut  and  fastened  with  the  king’s  seal.  The  king  went 
back  to  his  palace,  but  he  could  not  sleep.  He  grieved  all 
night  for  Daniel. 

Down  in  the  lions’  den  Daniel  did  just  what  he  always  did 
when  he  needed  help ;  he  prayed  to  God.  He  prayed  very 
earnestly,  for  the  need  was  very  great. 

Early  in  the  morning  the  king  hurried  to  the  den.  With 
a  voice  full  of  grief  he  cried,  “  Daniel !  Daniel !  ”  Then  he 
asked,  “  Is  thy  God,  whom  thou  servest,  able  to  keep  thee 
from  the  lions?” 

Wonderful  to  tell,  Daniel  himself  answered  the  king!  He 
called  back :  “  My  God  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  shut 
the  lions’  mouths !  They  have  not  hurt  me  at  all !  ” 

How  glad  the  king  was !  He  commanded  that  Daniel  be 
brought  out  of  the  den.  And  Daniel  was  not  even  scratched ! 
His  prayer  had  been  answered. 


Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 


A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 


“Jehovah,  I  have  called  upon  thee;  make  haste  unto  me; 
Give  ear  unto  my  voice,  when  I  call  unto  thee.” 

— Psalm  141 :1. 


“  Jehovah  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him.” 

— Psalm  145:18a. 


“  Praise  ye  Jehovah. 

Praise  Jehovah,  O  my  soul. 

While  I  live  will  I  praise  Jehovah: 

I  will  sing  praises  unto  my  God  while  I  have  any  being.” 

— Psalm  146:1,  2. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  remember  that  thou  art 
always  ready  to  hear  our  prayers.  Help  us  to  remember  to 
come  to  thee  for  help  when  we  are  in  trouble.  Amen. 

Song 

“  Praise  Him,  All  Ye  Little  Children,”  from  “  Primary 
and  Junior  Hymnal.” 


98 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Copy  one  of  the  praise  verses. 

An  impromptu  dramatization  of  the  scene  between  the 
king  and  his  courtiers. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

SIX  YEARS’  SAVINGS 
Psalms  86:1-8;  100 
Memory  Verse 

“Jehovah  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him.” 

— Psalm  145:18. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

A  little  book  published  for  the  first  time  in  1882,  and  re¬ 
published  in  1892  by  the  American  Bible  Society,  gives 
“  The  Story  of  Mary  Jones  and  Her  Bible.” 

It  tells  how  a  little  Welsh  girl,  the  daughter  of  a  poor 
weaver,  Jacob  Jones,  and  his  wife  Molly,  learned  to  love 
the  Bible  when  she  went  with  her  parents  to  the  “  meeting 
house  ” ;  how  she  listened  to  the  reading  of  God’s  Word, 
and  memorized  it.  In  time  it  became  the  intense  desire  of 
her  life  to  own  a  Bible  of  her  own. 

Mary  Jones  lived  in  Wales,  over  one  hundred  and  twenty 
years  ago,  and  at  that  time  there  was  a  great  dearth  of 
Bibles  in  the  Welsh  language;  there  were  only  a  few  in  ex¬ 
istence,  and  those  entirely  out  of  the  reach  of  people  in  the 
circumstances  of  Mary  and  her  family.  But  Mary’s  desire 
was  very  intense,  and  for  the  deep  issues  of  life  everyone 
is  willing  to  struggle. 

After  years  of  saving  she  gained  her  longed-for  prize ; 
and  Mary’s  story  and  its  happy  conclusion  was  really  the 
beginning  of  the  great  work  of  the  British  Bible  Society 
which  led  to  the  organization  of  the  American  Bible 
Society. 

The  story  of  her  praying,  her  work  and  her  journey  to 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


99 


get  her  Bible  will  be  an  excellent  help  in  illustrating  both 
the  lesson  under  this  theme  and  that  preceding. 

For  the  Biblical  portion  of  the  lesson  dwell  specially  upon 
the  devotional  service  and  the  verses  suggested  under  the 
heading. 


The:  Story 

It  was  nighttime,  and  the  moon  sent  out  just  a  little  light 
that  made  big  shadows  of  the  trees  and  of  the  rocks  and  of 
the  big  mountain  not  far  away. 

But  out  from  the  windows  of  a  little  cottage  came  a  cheery 
light.  Inside  a  fire  of  driftwood  burned  on  the  hearth,  and 
a  lamp  had  been  placed  on  a  table. 

For  furniture  there  was  a  bench,  and  two  or  three  stools, 
a  cupboard  for  dishes,  and  a  kitchen  table.  A  weaver  sat 
at  work,  and  his  wife  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  She 
was  dressed  in  a  long  cloak  and  a  queer,  tall  hat  such  as  was 
worn  in  Wales  over  a  hundred  years  ago. 

“  I  am  sorry  you  cannot  go  to  the  meeting,  Jacob.  You’ll 
be  missed,”  said  the  woman. 

“Yes,  wife;  however,  I’m  thankful  that  this  wheezing 
does  not  keep  me  idle.  I  can  still  ply  my  trade.  But  what 
are  you  waiting  for,  Molly?  You’ll  be  late  for  the  meeting.” 

“  I’m  waiting  for  that  child,  father,  and  she’s  gone  for 
the  lantern,”  replied  the  good  wife. 

“  The  lantern !  Yes,  you’ll  need  it  this  dark  night.  ’Twas 
a  good  thought  of  yours,  mother,  to  let  Mary  carry  it  regu¬ 
larly  as  you  do,  for  the  child  would  not  be  allowed  to  go  to 
those  meetings  otherwise.  She  does  want  to  go  so  much.” 

“  Yes,”  replied  the  mother,  “  she  knows  already  nearly 
all  that  you  and  I  can  teach  her  of  the  Bible,  doesn’t  she, 
Jacob?  She’s  only  eight  now,  but  I  remember  when  she 
was  only  a  wee  child  she  would  sit  on  your  knee  for  hours 
on  a  Sunday  and  hear  you  tell  of  Abraham,  and  Joseph,  and 
David,  and  Daniel.  There  never  was  a  girl  like  our  Mary 
for  Bible  stories,  bless  her !  Here  she  is  ! 

“  You’ve  been  a  long  time  getting  that  lantern,  child,”  she 
said  to  the  little  girl.  “  We  must  hurry,  or  we  shall  be  late.” 

“  Yes,  mother,  I  was  long  because  I  ran  to  borrow  neigh¬ 
bor  Williams’  lantern.  The  latch  of  ours  won’t  hold,  and 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


there’s  a  wind  to-night,  and  I  knew  we  should  have  the  light 
blown  out.” 

“  Well,  come  along,  Mary.  Good-by,  Jacob.” 

“  Good-by,  father  dear!  I  wish  you  could  come,  too!” 
cried  Mary  coming  back  to  give  her  father  a  kiss. 

“  Go  your  way,  child,  and  mind  you,  remember  all  you  can 
to  tell  dad  when  you  come  home.” 

They  opened  the  cottage  door  and  Mary  and  her  mother 
started  out  into  the  cold,  windy  night. 

They  picked  their  way  along  in  the  dark  until  they  came  to 
the  little  meeting  house. 

Mary  was  the  only  child  there,  but  she  listened  so  ear¬ 
nestly  that  she  seemed  as  much  in  place  as  any  of  the 
grown-up  people  until  the  meeting  was  over. 

“Why  haven’t  we  a  Bible  of  our  own,  mother?”  asked 
Mary  as  she  trotted  homeward,  lantern  in  hand. 

“  Because  Bibles  are  scarce,  child,  and  we’re  too  poor  to 
pay  the  price  for  one.  A  weaver’s  is  an  honest  trade,  Mary, 
but  we  don’t  get  rich  by  it.” 

“  Every  time  I  hear  something  read  out  of  the  Bible, 
mother,  I  long  to  hear  more.  When  I  can  read  myself,  it 
will  be  harder  yet  not  to  have  a  Bible.” 

The  days  passed  on,  and  Mary  and  her  father  and  mother 
spent  them  busily.  The  father  and  the  mother  wove  the 
wool  into  cloth,  and  Mary  helped  by  sweeping  and  dusting 
the  little  cottage,  or  by  digging  and  weeding  the  garden,  by 
feeding  the  hens,  and  by  looking  for  the  eggs.  She  even 
took  care  of  the  hive  of  bees. 

In  the  evenings  she  would  sit  by  the  hearth  and  try  to 
mend  her  own  little  clothes. 

As  she  did  all  these  things  she  would  think  of  the  stories 
that  had  been  told  her  from  the  Bible.  She  would  picture 
them  all  over  to  herself. 

“Oh!  If  only  I  could  read!  ”  she  would  think.  “If  only 
I  had  a  Bible  of  my  own !  If  only  I  could  read  those  beau¬ 
tiful  stories  for  myself  !  ” 

Now  two  miles  from  the  weaver’s  cottage  there  lived  a 
well-to-do  farmer  and  his  wife.  Among  their  most  precious 
treasures  was  a  Bible.  They  kept  it  in  their  best  room  on 
a  table,  covered  with  a  snowy  white  napkin. 

This  good  woman  learned  how  Mary  loved  the  stories 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


101 


from  the  Bible.  One  day,  when  she  had  come  to  the  cot¬ 
tage  tO'  see  Mary’s  mother  she  said :  “  As  soon  as  you  are 
able  to  read,  little  maid,  you  shall  come  to  the  farm  when¬ 
ever  you  like  and  read  and  study  our  Bible.  That  is,  if  you 
can  manage  to  get  so  far.  Remember,  dear  child !  ” 

“  It’s  only  two  miles,  that’s  nothing !  ”  said  sturdy  Mary, 
with  a  glance  down  at  her  strong,  little  bare  feet.  “  I’d 
walk  farther  than  that  to'  read  the  stories  in  the  Bible !  ” 

Then  the  farmer’s  wife  said  good-by  and  rode  away  in 
her  little  pony  cart. 

As  Mary  watched  her  out  of  sight  she  prayed  this  prayer, 
“  Dear  Lord,  who  gavest  bread  to  hungry  folk  in  the  old 
time,  and  didst  teach  and  bless  even  the  poorest,  please  let 
me  learn  to  read,  and  not  grow  up  in  darkness.” 

Then  she  shut  the  door  and  made  up  her  mind  that  if 
God  heard  her  prayer  and  answered,  she  would  do  what  she 
could,  all  her  life  long,  to  help  others  as  she  herself  had  been 
helped. 

Not  SO'  long  afterwards  a  school  was  opened  near  her 
home  and  Mary’s  father  sent  her  to'  it.  She  learned  to  read ! 

Of  course  Mary  told  the  good  news  to  her  friend,  the 
farmer’s  wife.  “  Two  years  ago,  please  ma’am,  you  were 
so  kind  as  to  promise  that  when  I’d  learned  to  read  I  should 
come  to  the  farm  and  read  your  Bible.” 

“  Welcome,  little  girl.  I  shall  expect  you  next  Saturday.” 

What  a  pleasant  visit  she  had  at  the  comfortable  farm¬ 
house  ! 

“  There’s  no  need  to  tell  you  to  be  careful  of  our  Bible, 
dear  child,  I  know.” 

Then  the  good  wife  went  away,  leaving  Mary  alone  with 
the  Bible  for  the  first  time  in  her  life.  She  raised  the  nap¬ 
kin,  and  with  trembling  hands  opened  and  read. 

“  I  will  learn  all  I  can !  ”  she  whispered  softly.  “  Oh,  if  I 
had  a  Bible  of  my  own !  ” 

After  she  had  gone  home  she  said  to  herself :  “  I  must 
have  a  Bible  of  my  own !  I  must  have  a  Bible,  if  I  save  up 
for  it  for  ten  years !  ” 

Then  Mary  began  to  save.  She  did  little  odd  pieces  of 
work  for  the  neighbors.  Sometimes  she  took  care  of  a  baby 
for  a  busy  mother;  sometimes  she  picked  up  sticks  and 
brushwood ;  sometimes  she  mended. 


102 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Every  halfpenny,  every  farthing  was  put  into1  a  little 
money  box  which  her  father  made  for  her. 

“  Dear  Lord,  let  the  time  come  when  I  may  have  my 
Bible !  ”  she  would  pray. 

One  day,  six  years  after  the  first  halfpenny  had  been 
dropped  into  her  box,  Mary  came  running  to  her  father  and 
mother  exclaiming :  “  O  mother  !  Father  !  I’m  so  happy  ! 
I  have  enough  to  buy  my  Bible !  ” 

Then  she  walked  twenty-five  miles  to  the  town  of  Bala 
and  bought  her  Bible. 

Mary’s  prayers  were  answered. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 
a  bibee  reading  lesson 

“  Hear  my  prayer,  O  Jehovah, 

And  let  my  cry  come  unto  thee.” — Psalm  102:1. 

“Jehovah  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him.” 

— Psalm  145:18. 

“  Make  a  joyful  noise  unto  Jehovah,  all  ye  lands. 

Serve  Jehovah  with  gladness: 

Come  before  his  presence  with  singing.” 

— Psalm  100:1,  2. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  remember  to  ask  thee  for 
what  we  want;  help  us  to  be  willing  to  wait  and  work  for 
it.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  Bible  bookmark  with  a  praise  verse  written 
upon  it. 


CHAPTER  XI 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

NEHEMIAH,  THE  KING’S  CUPBEARER 
Nehemiah,  chapters  1;  2:1-18;  4:6 
Memory  Verse 

“Jehovah  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him.” 

— Psalm  145:18. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

SOMETPIING  ABOUT  THE  PERSIAN  COURT 

Persia  was  the  scene  of  the  first  portion  of  our  lesson  for 
to-day.  The  time  is  about  445  b.  c.  Artaxerxes,  the  king 
of  Persia,  is  occupying  his  winter  residence,  “  Shushan  the 
palace.”  This  man  was  a  despot,  indeed.  He  was  fond  of 
luxury  and  of  all  the  extravagance  that  his  court  life  was 
able  to  yield  to  him. 

He  was  a  tyrant,  yet  at  times  generous.  He  was  equal 
to  doing  an  extremely  noble  and  generous  deed,  as  well  as 
often  guilty  of  the  greatest  cruelty  toward  those  in  his 
power. 

Nehemiah  was  cupbearer  to  this  man.  His  duty  was  to 
taste  the  wine  and  other  food  and  drink  before  the  king 
partook.  In  those  treacherous  times,  this  was  a  position  of 
no  small  risk  and  responsibility.  Nehemiah  was  a  Jew,  a 
member  of  one  of  the  captive  families  from  Jerusalem. 

The  condition  oe  jerusaeEm 

Jerusalem  had  been  in  a  state  of  ruin.  The  minds  of  the 
people  captive  in  Babylonia  and  Persia  constantly  turned  to 
their  old  homeland,  and  with  the  permission  of  the  sov¬ 
ereign,  many  had  returned. 

Ezra  has  led  one  company  back.  This  was  thirteen  years 

103 


104 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


before;  and  some  who  returned  brought  back  very  sad  news 
of  the  once  beautiful  city. 

Nehemiah  heard  of  the  condition  through  his  brother 
Hanani,  and  resolved  to  ask  permission  to  go  to  see  what  he 
could  do  to  benefit  his  countrymen. 

The;  Story 

The  king  looked  at  his  cupbearer  in  surprsie.  He  never 
had  seen  him  with  such  a  sober  face. 

Nehemiah  poured  out  the  wine  and  tasted  it;  then  he 
handed  it  to  the  king. 

This  was  his  work  for  the  king :  Always  the  food  and 
the  drink  must  be  tasted  in  the  king’s  presence.  This  was  to 
make  sure  that  it  was  quite  free  from  poison. 

The  king  ate  and  drank  and  watched  his  servant.  The 
merry  face  was  gone.  Here  was  a  man  who'  looked  as  if  he 
never  could  smile. 

It  was  a  dangerous  thing  to  displease  this  king.  Often¬ 
times  a  man  had  lost  his  head  for  as  small  a  fault  as  a 
solemn  face. 

But  Nehemiah  could  not  be  merry.  He  had  heard  bad 
news. 

Long  years  before,  his  father,  or  perhaps  it  was  his 
grandfather,  with  many  other  Jewish  people,  had  been  stolen 
by  a  king  and  his  soldiers  from  Jerusalem,  their  beautiful, 
dearly  loved  home,  and  brought  to  this  far  country.  This 
had  happened  before  Nehemiah  had  been  born,  but  his 
father  and  mother  had  told  him  the  story  many  times.  He 
loved  that  city  and  the  Temple,  the  home  of  the  true  God, 
more  than  anything  else  in  all  the  world.  He  prayed  to 
God  that  some  day  he  might  go  there. 

One  day  he  had  been  taking  a  walk  outside  the  palace  and 
had  seen  several  men.  When  they  came  near,  he  was  sur¬ 
prised  to  hear  them  speak  the  language  of  his  old  home. 
He  hurried  toward  them  and  began  asking  questions. 

About  thirteen  years  before,  a  large  number  of  people  had 
been  allowed  to  go  back  to  Jerusalem.  Indeed,  at  some 
time,  Nehemiah’s  brother,  Hanani,  had  gone. 

One  of  these  men  was  Hanani !  But  what  a  sorry  story 
Hanani  told!  “Nothing  has  gone  right,”  he  said.  “The 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


105 


people  in  Jerusalem  are  very  poor  and  unhappy.  The  wall 
is  broken  down.  The  old  gates  are  weak  and  charred  with 
fire.  Everyone  is  in  great  trouble.” 

Nehemiah  was  so  sad  to  hear  the  news  that  he  sat  down 
and  wept.  But  he  did  not  waste  much  time  crying;  he  took 
his  trouble  to  God ;  he  prayed  with  all  his  heart  about  it. 

“  O  Lord,  God  of  heaven,”  he  prayed,  “thou  keepest  thy 
promise  to  all  who  love  and  obey  thee.  Listen  to  my  prayer. 
I  pray  day  and  night  for  the  children  of  Israel  who  have 
sinned  against  thee.  We  have  disobeyed  thee,  I  and  all 
others.  We  have  broken  thy  laws.  Thou  didst  say  that 
thou  wouldst  punish  if  we  disobey ;  but  thou  also  didst 
promise  that  thou  wouldst  bring  us  back  to  our  home,  if  we 
turn  again  to  thee.  O  God,  listen  to  the  prayer  of  thy 
people  who'  now  have  turned  to  thee.” 

Nehemiah  knew  why  his  home  city  had  been  spoiled;  why 
the  walls  and  gates  were  burned,  and  the  Temple  hurt.  The 
people  had  sinned,  and  that  was  the  punishment. 

Time  went  on;  then  Nehemiah  began  making  plans.  But, 
he  was  no1  longer  the  merry-faced  cupbearer  that  he  once 
had  been. 

And  that  was  the  reason  the  king  said :  “  Why  is  thy  face 
so  sad  ?  Thou  art  not  sick.  Surely  thou  must  be  sor¬ 
rowful.” 

Nehemiah’s  heart  gave  a  bound!  The  time  had  come;  he 
must  tell  the  king!  Would  he  be  kind,  or  would  he  ex¬ 
claim,  “  Off  with  his  head  ”  ? 

He  made  a  quick  prayer  to  God  in  his  heart,  then  he  said : 
“  Let  the  king  live  forever!  Why  should  I  not  be  sad  when 
my  home  city  is  ruined,  and  the  gates  are  burned  ?  ” 

“  What  do  you  want  to  ask  of  me  ?  ”  said  the  king. 

Nehemiah  prayed  to  God  for  help. 

“If  it  please  the  king,  may  I  go  back  to  Jerusalem  and 
build  it  up  ?  ”  he  asked. 

“  How  long  will  you  be  gone?  ”  asked  the  king  and  then, 
after  asking  a  number  of  questions,  the  king  said,  “  Yes, 
go !  ” 

o  .  . 

God  did  still  more  to  answer  Nehemiah’s  prayer.  The 
cupbearer  asked  his  king:  “If  it  please  the  king,  wilt  thou 
give  me  letters  to  help  me  to'  pass  through  the  country 
safely?  Wilt  thou  also  give  me  a  letter  to  the  keeper  of  the 


106 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


forest,  that  he  may  give  me  timbers  to  build  up  the 
Temple?  ”  And  the  king  did  these  things  for  Nehemiah. 

Nehemiah  reached  Jerusalem  in  safety  and,  one  night,  he 
took  a  few  men  with  him,  and  rode  all  round  the  broken 
walls  and  charred  gates,  to-  find  out  just  what  needed  to  be 
done.  Not  long  afterwards  he  called  the  people  together 
and  said:  “You  see  what  troubles  we  are  in,  how  our  city 
is  in  ruins.  Come,  let  us  build  up  the  wall !  ”  He  told  the 
people  his  plans,  and  said  that  God  would  surely  help  them. 
The  people  cried,  “  Yes,  yes,  let  us  go  to  work  and  build !  ” 

Then  how  they  all  worked !  And  at  last  the  walls  were 
mended,  and  the  gates  could  be  closed  at  night  and  opened 
in  the  morning. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  I  was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me, 

Let  us  go  unto  the  house  of  Jehovah. 

Our  feet  are  standing 

Within  thy  gates,  O  Jerusalem,  .  .  . 

Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem: 

They  shall  prosper  that  love  thee. 

Peace  be  within  thy  walls,  .  .  . 

For  the  sake  of  the  house  of  Jehovah  our  God 
I  will  seek  thy  good.” — Selected  from  Psalm  122. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  remember  to  turn  to  thee  in 
time  of  trouble  as  quickly  as  did  Nehemiah.  May  we  re¬ 
member  that  thou  art  ever  ready  to  hear  and  to  grant  us  the 
things  that  are  best  for  us.  Amen. 

SONG 

“  God  Bless  the  Children,”  found  on  page  110. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Impromptu  dramatization  of  the  scene  between  Nehemiah 
and  the  king. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS  107 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

TRUST  IN  GOD 
Psalm  71:1,  2,  4,  5,  12,  23,  24 
Memory  Verse 

“  In  thee,  O  Jehovah,  do  I  put  my  trust.”  (A.  V.) 

— Psalm  71 :1a. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Write  the  word  “  trust  ”  upon  the  blackboard.  Develop 
the  meaning  of  the  word.  Bring  out  the  thought  that  it 
means  to'  “  believe  in  ”  some  one;  to  feel  sure  of  some  one’s 
loving  care ;  to  have  confidence  that  that  particular  person 
will  be  willing  and  glad  to  help  you  in  time  of  need  or 
trouble. 

In  whom  did  Peter  trust  when  he  was  in  prison? 

In  whom  did  Daniel  trust  when  he  was  in  the  lions’  den  ? 

In  whom  did  Nehemiah  trust  when  the  king  asked  him 
his  question  ? 

What  did  these  people  do>  when  they  wanted  God  to  help 
them?  (Prayed.) 

Did  God  answer  their  prayers  ? 

What  did  these  people  do  for  answered  prayers? 

(They  thanked  and  praised  God.) 

For  the  Biblical  portion  of  the  lesson  use  the  verses  sug¬ 
gested  from  Psalm  71.  Write  several  upon  the  blackboard 
and  have  them  read,  commenting  upon  the  meaning.  It  may 
be  possible  for  you  to  get  a  paraphrase  of  several  of  the 
verses  from  the  children. 

Tell  the  story  given  from  the  early  life  of  Dwight  L. 
Moody. 

The  Story 

Little  Dwight  had  no  father.  He  was  only  eight  years  old 
the  evening  that  he  and  his  big  brother  started  out  to  get 
the  job  ”  that  was  going  to  help  mother. 

Big  brother  was  only  twelve  and  it  seemed  so  long,  so 


108 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


very  long,  since  their  strong,  happy  father  had  suddenly 
died  and  left  mother  and  all  the  family  alone. 

They  were  poor,  very  poor ;  but  mother  had  been  able  to 
keep  the  house.  Uncle  Cyrus  helped  them,  and  mother  was 
brave. 

Big  brother  had  a  chance  to  cut  some  broom  corn  for  a 
neighbor,  and  Dwight  went  along. 

It  would  have  been  wiser  if  the  boys  had  started  earlier, 
for  the  farmer  lived  four  miles  away  from  their  home. 
Long  before  they  reached  the  ferry  over  the  Connecticut 
River  it  was  very,  very  dark. 

Hand  in  hand  they  walked  over  the  meadow,  and  at  last 
they  came  to  the  river  bank.  How  black  the  waters  looked ! 

An  old  ferryman  was  accustomed  to  take  passengers  over 
in  his  skiff,  but  to-night  he  was  not  there. 

“Hello!  Hello !”  called  the  big  brother. 

“Hello!  Hello!’’  echoed  little  Dwight. 

Presently  they  could  hear  voices,  and  they  saw  the  light 
of  a  lantern. 

The  old  ferryman  called  out  over  the  water  that  he  would 
come  with  the  boat,  while  the  other  man  would  stay  where 
he  was  and  send  the  lantern  light  to  guide  them  on  their  way. 

But  it  was  very,  very  dark,  and  they  soon  lost  sight  of 
the  boat.  The  ferryman  had  been  carried  down  the  stream. 

Soon,  however,  the  boat  came  back,  and  the  ferryman 
reached  them.  Big  brother  and  little  Dwight  stepped  into 
the  boat. 

When  the  skiff  was  pushed  out  into  the  dark  waters,  the 
boys  made  a  dreadful  discovery.  The  ferryman  had  been 
drinking !  His  foolish  talk  proved  that  he  was  not  fit  to 
take  that  boat  across  the  river  on  a  dark,  starless  night !  The 
man  was  drunk ! 

Little  Dwight  put  his  arms  round  his  brother  and  clung 
v  to  him  in  fright. 

The  boat  drifted  farther  and  farther  down  the  river  and 
away  from  the  light  of  the  lantern. 

“  Let  me  help  with  the  oars,”  begged  big  brother,  as  he 
put  out  his  hands. 

“  No!”  muttered  the  drunken  old  man  very  crossly. 

The  boys  grew  more  and  more  frightened. 

Then  Dwight  took  his  brother’s  hand.  “  Let  us  pray  to 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


109 


God.  He  will  help  us.  Mother  tells  us  to  trust  him.  We 
can  pray.” 

And  so  in  the  rocking  ferryboat,  the  two1  brothers  said 
their  prayer  to  God  and  asked  him  to  guard  them  from 
harm,  and  bring  them  safely  over  those  dark  waters. 

God  was  watching  over  them  all  the  time  and  he  did  take 
care  of  them.  The  ferryman  groped  his  way  along,  and 
after  a  while  managed  to  land  the  boys  where  the  light  of 
the  friendly  lantern  gleamed. 

Dwight  grew  up  to  be  a  great  and  wise  man ;  but  he  never 
forgot  that  night,  and  his  prayer  to  God  for  help.  And  all 
through  his  good,  long  life  he  remembered  to  turn  to  God 
whenever  he  needed  help. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  In  thee,  O  Jehovah,  do'  I  take  refuge:  .  .  . 

Bow  down  thine  ear  unto  me,  and  save  me.  .  .  . 

For  thou  art  my  hope,  O  Lord  Jehovah : 

Thou  art  my  trust  from  my  youth.  .  .  . 

O  God,  be  not  far  from  me ; 

O  my  God,  make  haste  to  help  me.” — Psalm  71. 

‘  Jehovah  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him.” 

— Psalm  145:18. 

“  Praise  ye  Jehovah  ; 

For  it  is  good  to  sing  praises  unto  our  God; 

For  it  is  pleasant,  and  praise  is  comely.” 

— Psalm  147:1. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  that  thou  art  ever  ready 
to  hear  our  prayers.  We  thank  thee  that  thou  hast  prom¬ 
ised  to  help  us.  May  we  remember  always  to  come  to  thee 
when  we  are  in  need.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Copy  a  praise  verse. 


110 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


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Copyright,  1908,  by  Margaret  Coote  Brown.  Lamar  and  Barton,  owners.  Used  by 
permission. 


CHAPTER  XII 

,  WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

A  STORY  OF  A  THANKSGIVING  DAY 
Nehemiah  8:1-12 
Memory  Verse 

“  O  give  thanks  unto  Jehovah ;  for  he  is  good.” 

— Psalm  118:1. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Reread  Nehemiah,  chapters  1  and  2:1-18;  also  read  the 
remainder  of  chapter  2,  and  chapters  3  and  4,  which  give  an 
account  of  the  rebuilding  of  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  and  the 
hardships  and  discouragements  endured  during  the  work. 

Nehemiah  reached  the  end  of  his  longed-for  journey  in 
safety.  He  made  a  survey  of  the  old  walls,  and  formulated 
a  plan  for  their  restoration. 

He  was  a  man  of  superior  courage  and  unusual  ability  in 
originating  and  forwarding  a  movement;  he  was  a  born 
leader  of  men  and  a  natural  psychanalysist. 

In  a  remarkably  short  time  he  had  inspired  the  people 
with  something  of  his  own  wonderful  enthusiasm.  He  or¬ 
ganized  them  into  companies,  allotting  the  portions  of  the 
wall  to  be  mended  in  sections  which  would  be  most  likely 
to  hold  the  interest  of  each  particular  working  group. 

He  even  succeeded  in  keeping  up  the  interest  which  he 
had  aroused  despite  the  fact  that  Sanballat,  the  Moabite 
chief,  and  others,  took  the  telling  weapon  of  ridicule  to  com¬ 
bat  the  work  which  they  decidedly  desired  to  stop. 

“  Ha!  and  do  those  feeble  Jews  pretend  that  they  can  re¬ 
build  those  walls  ?  ”  they  sneered.  “  Even  a  fox  in  passing 
will  be  able  to  break  down  those  stones.” 

But  God  was  helping  the  workers  and  their  leader.  In 

111 


112 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


fifty-two  days,  Jerusalem’s  walls  and  gates  were  a  reality 
again,  and  not  a  dream  of  the  glorious  past. 

Then  came  the  “  thanksgiving  day.”  Nehemiah,  Ezra, 
and  the  other  leading  men  of  the  newly  reestablished  city 
called  the  people  together  to  thank  God  for  his  goodness  in 
bringing  them  back  to  the  fatherland  as  well  as  for  helping 
them  through  the  critical  period  of  rebuilding  the  walls  and 
making  themselves  safe  from  outside  attack. 

The  people  had  learned  their  lesson  through  the  long 
years  of  exile  from  God.  They  came  back  to  him  with 
joyful  thanksgiving. 


The:  Story 

The  sun  was  low  in  the  sky,  and  the  first  day  of  the  great 
work  of  building  was  ended.  The  broken  walls  of  Jerusa¬ 
lem  began  to  look  better  even  at  the  close  of  the  first  day’s 
work. 

Benjamin  stretched  his  tired  arms  and  looked  proudly  at 
his  piece  of  wall. 

“  A  good  day’s  work,  Azariah !  ”  he  exclaimed. 

Binnui  looked  at  his  part,  which  was  to  go  to  the  turning 
of  the  corner.  “  I  will  put  every  stone  in  as  strong  and  as 
well  as  I  can,”  he  thought  to  himself. 

The  sons  of  Hassenaah  looked  gladly  at  the  fish  gate 
which  they  were  mending,  and  imagined  how  soon  it  would 
swing  on  its  hinges  again. 

The  men  who  worked  in  the  towers  came  down  from  their 
places. 

The  men  who  worked  upon  the  sheep  gate  and  the  east 
gate  and  the  horse  gate,  all  put  away  their  tools.  They  were 
tired  but  happy.  The  first  day’s  work  was  ended. 

“  To-morrow  we  will  work  still  harder,”  they  said  as  thev 
went  into  their  houses  to  rest. 

These  people  were  with  Nehemiah  in  their  old  home, 
Jerusalem. 

The  walls  and  gates  had  been  broken  and  burned  and  torn 
down. 

Nehemiah  said,  “  Come,  let  us  build  them  up,”  and  they 
were  helping  him.  Every  man  who  was  old  enough,  and 
some  women,  started  from  their  homes  with  some  kind  of 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


113 


tool  to  help.  Besides  the  tools,  many  men  carried  swords 
and  other  weapons.  They  knew  that  enemies  of  the  city, 
who  dwelt  outside,  would  hear  the  noise  and  the  sound  of 
the  pickaxes  against  the  stones.  They  would  try  to  keep 
the  people  from  mending  the  wall. 

All  day  Nehemiah  had  been  hurrying  from  group  to 
group;  it  seemed  as  if  he  were  everywhere.  “  You  build  up 
this  part  by  the  sheep  gate,”  he  said  to  some.  “  You  build 
up  this  part  right  in  front  of  your  own  houses,”  he  said  to 
another  group.  “  You  build  up  this  part  by  the  fish  gate,” 
he  told  others.  “You  build  up  the  fountain  gate,”  he  told 
some  others 

The  work  was  going  on  right  merrily ;  the  pickaxes 
sounded  against  the  rocks,  and  the  hammers  sang  a  tune. 

But  one  day  soon  after  they  started,  Sanballat,  an  un¬ 
friendly  chief,  and  some  other  men  came  along.  They  had 
heard  the  unusual  noise.  “  Well !  ”  cried  Sanballat,  “  what 
are  these  feeble  Jews  trying  to  do?”  and  he  laughed  scorn¬ 
fully.  “  Do  they  think  that  they  can  make  that  wall  what 
it  once  was  ?  ” 

Nehemiah  prayed  to  God  to  keep  his  people  from  being 
discouraged.  These  enemies  tried  in  every  way  they  could 
to  stop  the  building,  but  they  could  not. 

Then  they  got  ready  to  fight. 

“  Half  of  you  hold  the  spears  and  bows  and  arrows  and 
shields  while  the  others  work,”  cried  Nehemiah,  and  the 
building  went  on.  The  brave  people  worked  until  all  the  wall 
was  mended,  every  gate  was  in  its  place. 

The  people  were  very  happy  when  all  the  gates  could  be 
closed  and  locked.  They  rested  a  whole  week  before  their 
muscles  stopping  aching.  Then  they  had  a  holiday. 

Their  hearts  were  full  of  thanksgiving.  They  gathered 
together  in  one  of  the  streets ;  there  was  a  very  great  crowd. 
Then  they  asked  Ezra  to  do  something  for  them.  He  was 
one  of  the  wisest,  most  learned  men  in  the  city,  a  priest. 
They  asked  him  to  bring  the  book  of  God’s  Law  and  read 
it  to  them. 

They  wanted  to  be  good ;  they  wanted  to  know  God’s 
laws,  so  that  they  could  keep  them. 

Ezra  brought  out  the  Book  of  God’s  Word.  He  stood 
upon  a  pulpit  of  wood  that  was  high  above  them,  so  that  all 


114 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


could  see  him.  Some  of  the  other  chief  men  of  the  city 
stood  with  him. 

Men  and  women  and  all  the  children  who  were  old  enough 
to  understand  stood  in  the  crowd.  Everyone  became  very 
still,  and  looked  up  into  Ezra’s  face.  Then  he  read  the 
book,  slowly  and  clearly.  After  he  read  he  told  the  people 
what  the  words  meant.  When  he  was  tired,  and  could  read 
no  longer,  the  other  men  in  the  pulpit  helped  him. 

When  the  people  heard  the  words,  they  began  to  weep. 
They  saw  more  and  more  how  many  of  these  rules  they  had 
been  breaking.  They  had  been  very  wicked. 

Ezra  and  the  other  teachers  said :  “  Do  not  weep.  This 
should  be  a  happy  day.  God  has  forgiven  your  sins.’ 

When  the  reading  was  over,  Ezra  and  Nehemiah  said: 
“  Go  to  your  homes  and  keep  the  holiday  joyfully.  Eat  the 
good  things  which  the  Lord  hath  given  you.  Share  with 
the  poor.  Give  to  those  who  are  in  need.  But  keep  the 
holiday  joyfully.  God  has  forgiven  your  sins.” 

Then  the  people  went  to  their  homes ;  the  city  was  gay 
with  music;  and  everyone  had  a  feast. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBEE  READING  LESSON 

0 

‘  I  will  give  thee  thanks  with  my  whole  heart :  .  .  . 

I  will  worship  toward  thy  holy  temple, 

And  give  thanks  unto  thy  name  for  thy  lovingkindness 
and  for  thy  truth :  .  .  . 

In  the  day  that  I  called  thou  answeredest  me,  .  .  . 

Though  I  walk  in  the  midst  of  trouble,  thou  wilt 
revive  me ; 

Thou  wilt  stretch  forth  thy  hand  against  the  wrath  of 
mine  enemies, 

And  thy  right  hand  will  save  me.” 

— Psalm  138  (selected  verses.) 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  may  we  be  brave  to  try  to  help  our¬ 
selves.  Help  us  to  remember  that  thou  art  with  us  when 
we  do  this.  May  we  take  a  lesson  from  Nehemiah  and  his 
people.  Amen. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


115 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Let  one  of  the  older  boys  impersonate  Nehemiah  and 
others  of  the  class  a  number  of  the  builders.  Several  others 
may  impersonate  Sanballat  and  the  unfriendly  chiefs.  A 
short  conversation  may  be  given. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THANKSGIVING  IN  A  MOUNTAIN  PIOME 
Psalm  145  :l-3,  9,  14-21 
Memory  Verse 

“  My  mouth  shall  speak  the  praise  of  Jehovah.” 

— Psalm  145  :21a. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

For  the  Biblical  portion  of  to-day's  lesson  review  the 
story  of  Nehemiah,  bringing  out  with  unmistakable  clearness 
that  it  is  the  duty  of  God’s  children  to  turn  to  him  in  time 
of  trouble,  remembering  that  he  will  grant  their  prayers  in 
so  far  as  it  is  for  the  best  good  of  the  petitioners.  The  story 
examples  show  how  God’s  children  should  respond  to  their 
answered  prayers  by  praise  and  thanksgiving. 

Emphasize  your  teaching  by  the  following  story  of  a 
thanksgiving  in  a  little  cabin  home  among  the  mountain 
people  of  the  South. 

Although  there  are  large  towns  with  homes  of  luxury 
and  culture  so  near,  up  among  the  mountains  beyond  the 
roads  where  it  is  not  possible  for  automobiles  or  other  con¬ 
veyances  to  pass,  there  are  to  be  found  homes  where  live 
families  who  have  been  deprived  of  almost  everything  that 
makes  life  happy  and  comfortable.  They  are  poor  and 
unprosperous  because  of  their  unfortunate  surroundings. 
They  have  remained  in  those  lonely,  remote  places  and  have 
become  backward  and  left-behind. 

The  children  work  hard,  and  experience  little  joy,  yet 


116 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


they  long  for  the  “  education  ”  and  “  the  life  beyond  ”  of 
which  they  have  vague  dreams. 

From  among  these  families  have  often  come  the  most  re¬ 
markable  minds,  and  it  is  a  joy  to  be  of  help  to  them. 

Dwell  particularly  upon  the  verses  given  in  Psalm  145, 
selections  of  which  are  used  for  the  Devotional  Service. 

The  Story 

There  was  a  little  garden  beside  a  log  cabin  on  Piney 
Mountain  which  was  so  steep  that  it  was  a  wonder  that 
cabin  and  garden  and  even  the  little  boy  who  was  hoeing 
did  not  tumble  down  the  mountain  side  together. 

“  Whew !  ”  exclaimed  a  boy  who  had  been  climbing  up 
the  narrow  mountain  path.  “  Whew  !  ” 

Timothy,  the  little  boy  in  the  garden,  jumped  up  and 
almost  dropped  his  hoe. 

“Didn’t  you  see  me?’’  laughed  the  stranger.  “Pm  sorry 
if  I  frightened  you !  ” 

Timothy  looked  at  the  boy  in  the  path,  and  noticing  his 
fine  suit  and  new  shoes,  turned  away  and  went  on  with  his 
work. 

“  Not  one  of  we’uns,”  he  thought  to  himself.  “  Likely 
as  not  he’s  one  o’  them  stuck-up  folks  that  come  from  the 
hotel  in  the  city.” 

The  stranger  sat  down  on  a  log.  “  Well !  This  is  the 
farthest  I’ve  been  yet !  Guess  Uncle  Doc  will  be  surprised ! 
It’s  taken  away  my  breath  though  !  ”  panted  the  boy. 

Timothy  turned  and  leaned  on  his  hoe  handle.  He  looked 
at  the  other  boy  curiously. 

“Taken  your  breath!”  he  exclaimed.  “That  little  walk 
up  the  trail  taken  your  breath !  ”  And  his  voice  showed 
what  he  thought  of  a  boy  who-  couldn’t  climb  the  mountain 
trail,  the  path  that  he  had  walked  so  often  ©n  his  way  to 
sell  eggs  and  corn  and  beans  and — anything  that  he  could 
get  his  hands  on  to  sell. 

“  Yes,”  said  the  other  boy.  “  When  I  first  came  I  couldn’t 
walk  any  farther  than  that  oak  tree  at  the  first  turn.” 

“  Why  ?  ” 

“  Been  sick !  Uncle  Doc  brought  me  here  to  get  strong ! 
Who  is  that  under  the  tree  ?  ” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


117 


For  the  first  time  Timothy  noticed  the  pale  face  and  thin 
arms,  and  his  own  face  changed. 

“  Oh,  I’m  sorry !  ”  he  said.  “  That’s  Polly ;  she’s  my 
sister.  She’s  playing  house.” 

“  Do  you  suppose  I  could  take  that  hoe  ?  I  had  a  flower 
garden  home.” 

“  Well,  try  it,”  and  Timothy  passed  over  the  hoe. 

Somehow  it  was  not  long  before  the  two  boys  were  talk¬ 
ing  together  as  if  they  were  old  friends.  Timothy  told  Jack 
how  he  was  saving  for  a  new  suit  and  a  pair  of  shoes. 

“  We’uns  never  had  a  chanct,”  he  said.  “If  only  we 
could  go  to  school !  ” 

Jack  felt  quite  ashamed  when  he  remembered  how  often 
he  had  teased  mother  to  let  him  stay  at  home. 

They  reached  the  end  of  the  row  of  corn  where  Polly  was 
playing. 

“  Will  you  have  another  plate  of  ice  cream,  Dorothy  May? 
But  be  careful  not  to  spill  it  on  the  tablecloth.  Remember 
it  was  clean  this  very  day,”  the  pretty  little  girl  with  a  torn 
gown  and  bare  feet  was  saying. 

“What  is  she  doing?”  asked  Jack. 

“  Playing  she’s  giving  a  party,”  smiled  Timothy.  “  Grand¬ 
mother’s  always  talking  about  a  tablecloth.  We’uns  never 
had  a  tablecloth.  Grandmother  had  one  when  she  was 
young.  She  wishes  she  might  have  another,  but  she  hasn’t 
the  money.” 

Then  he  said  very  soberly,  “  She  prays  about  it  every 
night.”  It  shows  how  very  friendly  the  boys  had  grown 
when  he  added :  “  I  pray  that  I  can  have  a  suit  and  some 
shoes,  too ;  so  that  I  may  have  a  chanct,  and  I  am  hoping 
that  I’ll  get  the  answer  soon.” 

“Why,  Jack,  are  you  here?  This  is  a  long  walk,  and 
you  look  better,  my  boy.  But  it  is  getting  toward  dinner 
time.  You’ve  made  a  new  friend,  I  see.  That  is  fine. 
Well,  come  on,  now.  Another  time  you  can  come  again,” 
said  a  fine,  strong-looking  man  whom  Jack  called  Uncle  Doc. 

All  the  way  down  the  beautiful  mountain  walk  Jack  told 
Uncle  Doc  the  story:  ,  how  Timothy  was  praying  for  a 
“  chanct  ”  for  himself  and  Polly ;  how  grandmother  was 
praying  for  a  tablecloth. 

“  That  is  a  very  interesting  story,  Jack,  my  boy,”  said 


118 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Uncle  Doc  thoughtfully.  “  I  am  glad  that  you  have  found 
this  little  mountain  family.  I  wonder  if  you  and  I  cannot 
help  in  the  answering  of  their  prayers  ?  God  will  answer, 
I  am  sure ;  and  it  will  be  a  blessing  to  us,  if  we  can  be 
allowed  to  help.  Come,  let’s  try ;  you  and  I.” 

Jack’s  face  lighted  with  pleasure. 

That  was  only  the  beginning  of  a  fine  friendship  between 
the  little  mountain  family  and  Uncle  Doc  and  Jack.  Almost 
every  day  found  the  two  boys  together,  and,  as  the  days 
passed,  Jack  could  do  more  and  more  of  the  hoeing.  His 
face  began  to  get  some  of  the  tan  that  Timothy’s  had.  And 
by  and  by  he  began  to  pull  up  his  sleeve  and  compare  his 
firm  muscle  with  that  of  his  little  friend. 

But  Uncle  Doc  and  Timothy  had  the  hardest  time  to  keep 
the  secret  that  they  had  between  them. 

“  I  can’t  wait  a  day  longer  than  Thanksgiving,  Uncle 
Doc,”  said  Jack. 

“  Nor  I,  boy.  By  the  way.  Granny’s  tablecloth  and  her 
dress  came  to-day.  I  sent  to  New  York  for  them.  And 
there  are  a  dozen  napkins,  too.  When  I  wrote  your  mother 
about  her,  she  bought  a  little  china  tea  set  and  that  will  be 
here  in  time. 

“Timothy’s  new  suit  is  in  my  trunk,  and  I’m  sure  his 
shoes  will  fit.  Pie  tried  on  mine  the  other  day,”  chuckled 
Jack. 

“  My  college  friend  is  saving  a  room  for  him  this  fall,” 
added  Uncle  Doc.  “  Polly  is  about  the  size  of  Grace,  isn’t 
she?  The  dresses  will  be  all  right.” 

The  great  day  came  at  last.  Thanksgiving  Day !  Such 
a  Thanksgiving  Day!  Uncle  Doc  and  Jack  were  loaded  like 
pack  horses  when  they  reached  the  porch. 

“  Shoo !  Shoo!  ”  cried  Timothy  to  the  chickens  that  were 
gathered  round  the  cabin  door.  They  went  into  the  room 
where  Granny  was  trying  to  prepare  the  scanty  dinner. 

Soon  everyone  was  busy  getting  together  the  splendid 
feast  that  came  out  of  the  bundles.  Uncle  Doc  mashed  the 
potatoes  and  made  the  coffee. 

But  Granny  spread  the  tablecloth,  her  tablecloth,  and  set 
the  dishes  on  the  table. 

Never  before  had  a  feast  tasted  so  good  to  the  mountain 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


119 


people,  nor  even  to>  the  good  doctor  who  had  eaten  in  the 
most  beautiful  dining  halls  in  his  own  great  home  city. 

Then  when  Polly  was  eating  her  second  plate  of  ice  cream, 
he  told  of  that  great  “  chanct  ”  that  was  to  be  given  to 
Timothy  when  school  opened  in  the  fall. 

“  And  now,  dear  people,  we  all  have  so  many  things  for 
which  to  be  thankful:  Jack,  here,  is  as  strong  as  ever; 
Granny  has  her  tablecloth,  two  tablecloths;  Timothy  and 
Polly  are  to  have  their  ‘  chanct.’  Let  us  thank  and  praise 
the  Giver.”  And  they  did. 

Suggestions  tor  the  Devotionae  Service 

A  BIBEE  READING  EESSON 

“  Jehovah  is  good  to  all ;  .  .  . 

Jehovah  upholdeth  all  that  fall, 

And  raiseth  up  all  those  that  are  bowed  down.  .  .  . 

Thou  openest  thy  hand, 

And  satisfiest  the  desire  of  every  living  thing.  .  .  . 

Jehovah  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him, 

To  all  that  call  upon  him  in  truth.  .  .  . 

My  mouth  shall  speak  the  praise  of  Jehovah.” 

— Psalm  145  (selected  verses.) 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  remember  to  ask  thee  for 
what  we  need,  remembering  that  thou  wilt  send  us  what  is 
best  for  us  to  have.  Let  us  never  forget  to  thank  and  praise 
thee  for  thy  goodness  to  us.  Amen. 

a  praise  song 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  class  gift  of  something  especially  desired  by  one 
who  needs.  Even  a  class  in  modest  circumstances  will  be 
able  to  do  this,  for  the  gift  need  not  be  of  great  money  value. 
Sometimes  the  thought  that  prompts  the  gift  is  the  great 
thing  to  the  recipient. 


■ 


LISTENING  TO  GOD’S  MESSENGERS 


CHAPTER  XIII 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

GOD’S  MESSENGERS  TO  ABRAHAM 
Genesis  18:1-16 
Memory  Verse 

“  I  will  hear  what  God  Jehovah  will  speak.” 

— Psalm  85  :8. 


The:  Teaceier’s  Preparation 

God’s  children  need  help  and  instruction  from  him  much 
as  little  children  are  in  constant  dependence  upon  the  ex¬ 
perience  of  their  earthly  parents.  God  does  not  leave  us 
without  the  help  we  need.  Several  lessons  are  given  under 
this  theme  “  Listening  to  God’s  Messengers  ”  tO'  show  the 
children  the  fact  that  God  does  send  his  messages  and  mes¬ 
sengers,  and  to  teach  them  how  to  listen. 

Many  examples  of  earnest  listeners  are  given  in  the  Bible. 
For  to-day’s  lesson  is  given  an  incident  in  the  life  of  the 
patriarch  Abraham.  God’s  messages  came  in  a  peculiarly 
direct  way  to  this  man,  and  he  proved  how  ready  he  was  to 
listen  and  also  to  obey. 

The  Story  Background 

The  first  time  we  are  told  of  God’s  speaking  to  Abraham 
was  far  back  when  he  dwelt  in  the  land  of  idolatry  which 
had  been  the  home  of  his  father  and  his  family.  God  told 
him  to  leave  that  land  and  go  to  another  which  he  would 
show  him,  a  land  which  should  be  his  home,  and  Abraham 
obeyed  God’s  voice,  and  at  this  time  was  in  a  temporary 
abiding  place  while  on  the  journey. 

Sarah,  his  beautiful  wife,  his  nephew  Lot,  and  his  serv¬ 
ants  accompanied  him.  Lot  was  an  orphan,  the  son  of  his 
dead  brother  Haran. 


123 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Lot  had  now  gone  away,  having  chosen  a  home  for  him¬ 
self  and  his  flocks.  He  had  shown  himself  grasping  and 
ungrateful  toward  his  uncle  who  had  shared  with  him  so 
generously  during  the  years  when  he  could  not  care  for  him¬ 
self.  He  chose  what  appeared  at  the  time  to  be  the  far 
superior  portion  of  the  land. 

A  beautiful  oak  tree  grew  in  the  portion  of  the  land  taken 
by  Abraham.  Here  he  pitched  his  tent,  and  here  occurred 
the  incident  which  forms  our  story  for  to-day. 

Method  Suggestion 

It  will  be  readily  possible  to  teach  this  lesson  vividly  with 
the  help  of  the  sand  table. 

Set  up  an  Oriental  tent  following  directions  given  in 
stories  in  the  first  book  of  this  series,  “  God  the  Loving 
Father.” 

Flocks  may  be  represented  by  cardboard  cut-outs  made  by 
the  pupils,  by  wooden  toys,  or  even  by  animal  crackers. 

The  tent  may  be  furnished  with  rugs,  water  jars,  and  so 
forth,  which  have  been  made  by  the  children  during  previous 
lessons. 


The  Story 

In  a  far  country  long,  long  ago,  there  was  a  beautiful 
grove  of  oak  trees.  One  of  the  trees  was  fairer  and  hand¬ 
somer  than  the  others ;  it  cast  a  very  cool  shade. 

Not  far  beyond  the  oak  grove  was  a  desert.  A  desert  is 
a  place  where  the  earth  is  dry  and  sandy ;  no  tall  trees  will 
grow  in  a  desert  land. 

One  day  a  long  procession  came  traveling  over  the  desert. 
A  man  named  Abraham  headed  the  procession,  and  his 
family  and  his  servants  and  his  flocks  of  sheep  and  goats 
and  herds  of  cattle  followed  after. 

He  owned  some  splendid  camels,  and  their  humpy  backs 
were  loaded  with  the  belongings  of  the  family.  There  were 
beautiful  rugs,  woven  from  the  wool  of  the  sheep:  there 
were  tent  cloths  and  long  tent  poles ;  there  were  big  water 
jars ;  there  were  stones  to  grind  meal. 

Sarah,  Abraham’s  beautiful  wife,  rode  on  a  camel.  I  am 
sure  that  there  must  have  been  pretty  clothes  and  golden 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


125 


bracelets  and  chains  and  perhaps  a  pair  of  anklets  in  her 
camel’s  pack. 

Abraham  saw  the  big  oak  tree.  “  This  will  be  a  fine  abid¬ 
ing  place,”  he  thought. 

He  stopped  the  procession.  He  bade  his  servants  set  up 
the  tents. 

Down  knelt  the  camels.  They  scolded  and  groaned  a 
good  deal,  as  camels  always  do.  The  servants  unpacked  the 
poles  and  the  tent  cloth  and  the  pins  to  fasten  the  tent  to 
the  ground.  They  set  up  the  tent  like  this.  (Illustrate.) 

Other  servants  fed  the  flocks  and  gave  them  a  drink. 

Sarah  was  helped  from  her  camel,  and  went  into  her  tent. 
Big  rugs  were  spread  on  the  floor  by  the  servants  to  make 
their  lady  comfortable. 

Very  soon  there  was  a  busy  home  under  the  shade  of  the 
big  oak  tree,  and  here  the  family  lived. 

At  noon  Abraham  would  come  in  and  sit  in  the  doorway 
of  his  tent.  Here  he  would  wait  for  his  dinner  while  Sarah 
or  her  servants  prepared  meat  and  bread  and  cakes. 

One  day  as  he  sat  in  his  tent  door,  he  saw  three  men  com¬ 
ing  toward  him.  They  were  strangers. 

Abraham  was  always  kind  to  any  stranger  who  passed  his 
door,  and  he  arose  now  and  went  to  meet  the  men.  He 
bowed  low  before  them,  as  people  did  in  that  land. 

“  Do  not  pass,”  he  said.  “  Come  in.  I  will  send  for  water 
to  wash  your  feet.”  That  was  the  fashion  in  Abraham’s 
land. 

“  You  are  tired,”  he  continued.  “  Come  rest  under  the 
tree.  I  will  bring  you  some  bread.  Rest  and  eat  and  be 
comfortable  for  a  little  while.  Then,  when  you  wish,  you 
can  go  on  your  way  again.” 

The  three  strangers  were  glad  to  be  Abraham’s  guests. 
They  accepted  his  invitation.  Abraham  hurried  into  the 
tent,  and  told  Sarah  about  the  company.  Then  he  said: 
“  Make  ready  three  measures  of  fine  meal.  Knead  it,  and 
bake  cakes  upon  the  hearth.” 

Sarah  began  to  make  the  cakes,  and  Abraham  went  out 
into  the  fields.  Pie  took  a  young  calf  and  gave  it  to  a 
servant  to  prepare  for  the  dinner.  Then  he  brought  butter 
and  milk.  Soon  the  cakes  were  ready,  the  meat  was  roasted, 
the  butter  and  milk  and  all  the  feast  was  set  before  the 


126 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


strangers.  Abraham  stood  by  them  under  the  tree,  and 
they  ate. 

Now  these  three  strangers  were  not  just  three  men,  as 
Abraham  at  first  had  thought.  They  were  messengers  from 
God  with  a  message  for  Abraham.  God  loved  this  good 
man  who  tried  to  walk  in  his  ways  and  live  as  he  should. 
Years  before,  God  himself  had  spoken  to  Abraham,  and  he 
had  obeyed.  Then  God  spoke  again  and  made  him  a  prom¬ 
ise,  if  only  he  would  listen  and  obey  him.  Ever  since  that 
time  Abraham  had  been  listening  for  messages  from  God. 
To-day  God  had  a  very  happy  message  for  him,  and  he  sent 
his  angel  messengers  to  take  it  to  Abraham. 

The  messengers  then  told  Abraham  that  the  dearest  wish 
of  his  and  Sarah’s  lives  should  come  true.  A  little  son  was 
to  be  given  to  them.  This  little  son  would  grow  to  be  a 
man,  and  he  and  his  children  would  be  the  beginning  of  a 
great  family  whom  God  should  love. 

After  the  meal  was  over,  and  the  message  was  told,  and 
the  messengers  were  rested,  they  made  ready  to  go  on  their 
way.  Abraham  wanted  to  show  still  more  kindness  to  God’s 
messengers,  so  he  went  with  them  a  little  distance. 

Some  Ways  that  God  Speaks  to  His  Children 

Through  his  Book,  the  Bible 

Through  earthly  parents. 

Through  teachers. 

Through  good  friends. 

Tell  the  pupils  that  God  speaks  to  his  children  now,  as 
well  as  in  the  long-ago  time. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

(Impress  upon  the  children  that  these  verses  are  a  few  of 
the  messages  that  God  has  given  to  his  children  in  his 
Book.) 

“  So  let  your  light  shine  before  men ;  that  they  may  see 
your  good  works.’’ — Matthew  5:16a. 

“  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and  ye  shall 
find ;  knock  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you.” 

— Matthew  7 :7. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


127 


“  All  things  therefore  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  unto  you,  even  so  do  ye  also  unto  them.” 

— Matthew  7 : 12. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  be  good  listeners  for  thy 
messages.  Help  us  to  obey  when  we  know  thy  will  for  us. 
Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Set  up  an  Oriental  tent. 

Make  a  paper  flock  of  sheep. 

Cut  out  a  paper  camel. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

A  PRISON  KEEPER  LISTENS  TO  GOD’S 

MESSENGER 

Acts  16:16-34 

Memory  Verse 

“  Blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  word  of  God.” 

— Luke  11:28a. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

The  aim  of  Paul’s  life  was  to  be  a  true  and  forceful  mes¬ 
senger  of  God  and  of  Jesus,  his  Son.  To-day’s  lesson  tells 
the  story  of  the  jailer  of  the  prison  at  Philippi  where  Paul 
had  been  cast  after  his  kindness  to  the  slave  girl. 

Paul  had  entered  upon  his  second  missionary  journey. 
He  went  to  Troas,  where  he  had  his  vision  of  the  man  who 
called  from  Macedonia,  “  Come  over  into  Macedonia,  and 
help  us.”  Philippi  was  one  of  the  great  cities  of  Macedonia. 
The  seaport  at  which  Paul  and  his  three  companions  landed 
was  Neapolis.  The  city  of  Philippi  was  located  on  a  hill 
beyond. 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Paul  was  gratified  by  the  reception  which  was  given  him 
at  Philippi  and  always  afterwards  these  people  were  greatly 
loved  by  him. 


The:  Story 

Four  men  were  walking  along  the  street  of  a  city  where 
they  never  had  been  before.  They  had  come  a  long,  long 
distance. 

As  they  passed  along  they  saw  statues  of  strange  gods. 
The  people  in  the  city  prayed  to  those  statues. 

Presently  they  heard  some  one  walking  behind  them ;  then 
they  heard  the  follower  speak. 

It  was  a  poor,  crazy  slave  girl,  and  she  began  calling  after 
them. 

“  These  men  are  servants  of  the  Most  High  God !  ”  she 
cried.  “  These  men  are  servants  of  the  Most  High  God ! 
They  show  us  the  way  of  salvation !  ” 

Not  once  but  for  several  days  the  slave  girl  followed  the 
strangers,  calling  the  same  thing. 

Now  these  men  were  really  God’s  messengers.  They  had 
come  to  tell  the  idol-worshiping  people  a  message  from 
God  and  his  Son,  Jesus.  They  were  sorry  for  the  poor, 
crazy  girl. 

The  name  of  one  of  the  men  was  Paul,  and  he  determined 
to  help  the  girl  and  put  an  end  to  her  calling. 

So  one  day  he  said  to  the  evil  spirit  that  was  in  her,  “  I 
charge  thee  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  to  come  out  of  her.” 

From  that  hour  she  became  quiet.  Her  mind  was  healed, 
and  she  began  to  believe  in  the  true  God. 

There  were  some  bad  men  who  were  very  angry  at  Paul 
for  doing  this.  They  had  made  a  good  deal  of  money  by 
saying  that  the  slave  girl  was  a  sort  of  fortune  teller.  Now 
she  would  earn  no  more  money  for  them ! 

The  angry  men  caught  Paul  and  also  Silas,  the  friend  who 
happened  to  be  with  him,  and  dragged  them  tO'  the  market 
place  before  the  rulers  of  the  city. 

“  These  Jews  are  making  a  great  deal  of  trouble  in  our 
city,”  they  exclaimed. 

A  mob  quickly  gathered.  Then  the  rulers  tore  the  cloth¬ 
ing  from  Paul  and  his  friend;  they  ordered  men  to  come  and 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


129 


beat  them  with  rods.  Their  hands  were  tied  to  a  post,  then 
they  were  whipped  on  the  bare  flesh  of  their  backs  until  great 
stripes  rose.  After  the  beating  they  were  thrust  into  a  deep, 
dark  dungeon  prison,  where  the  keeper  fastened  their  feet 
in  stocks  so  that  they  could  not  move.  (Explain.) 

By  and  by  night  came ;  but  there  was  no  bed  upon  which 
they  could  rest ;  only  the  hard,  dirty  floor.  But  what  do 
you  think  Paul  and  Silas  did  during  the  long  hours?  From 
the  dungeon  the  other  prisoners  began  to  hear  the  sounds  of 
singing ;  the  two  new  prisoners  were  singing  hymns  to  God 
and  praying  to  him ! 

God  did  not  forget  his  messengers ;  help  was  on  the  way 
to  them,  coming  in  a  strange  manner.  Presently  the  prison 
began  to  shake ;  windows  and  walls  rattled ;  all  the  doors 
were  opened ;  even  the  chains  and  stocks  fell  away  from  the 
prisoners.  There  was  an  earthquake. 

The  keeper  of  the  prison  awoke  and  came  rushing  to  the 
cells.  He  knew  he  would  be  punished  if  the  men  escaped. 
He  was  so  frightened  that  he  uncovered  his  sword  to  kill 
himself,  for  he  was  sure  the  prisoners  must  have  run  away. 

Paul  called  out  very  loudly:  “Do  thyself  no  harm!  We 
are  all  here !  ” 

The  keeper  called  for  lights,  and  sprang  into  the  prison 
dungeon.  In  fear  and  trembling  he  fell  at  the  feet  of  his 
two  new  prisoners,  Paul  and  Silas.  He  cried,  “  Sirs,  what 
must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  ”  They  said  to  the  trembling  man, 
“  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,  thou 
and  thy  house,”  and  they  gave  their  message  about  God  and 
Jesus,  his  Son. 

The  keeper  took  them  into  his  house  and  listened  to  Paul’s 
message.  He  washed  their  stripes  and  gave  them  food  to 
eat.  And  he  and  his  whole  house  were  baptized  as  believers 
in  Jesus. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 
a  bibeE  reading  lesson 

“  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
whole  creation.” — Mark  16:15. 

“  Blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  word  of  God.  and  keep  it.” 

—Luke  1 1  :28. 


130 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“If  ve  love  me,  ye  will  keep  my  commandments.” 

—John  14:15. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  are  learning  about  thy  messages 
and  thy  messengers.  Help  us  to  listen  and  to  obey  when  we 
hear.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  Bible  bookmark  and  write  the  Memory  Verse 
upon  it. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 


SAMUEL  BRINGING  GOD’S  MESSAGE  TO  A  BOY 

OF  BETHLEHEM 

I  Samuel  16:1-13 
Memory  Verse 

“  I  will  hear  what  God  Jehovah  will  speak.” 

— Psalm  85  :8. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

David  was  born  in  the  little  hill  town  of  Bethlehem. 
Here,  for  centuries,  his  father’s  ancestors  had  dwelt  and  had 
been  prominent. 

Boaz,  the  wealthy  Bethlehemite,  had  married  Ruth,  the 
lovely  Moabitess,  and  these  two  people  were  ancestors  of 
David. 

Jesse,  of  Bethlehem,  the  father  of  David,  was  at  the  time 
of  this  lesson,  the  owner  of  rich  lands  and  flocks  and  herds. 
David,  the  youngest  son,  was  wont  to  help  his  father  in  the 
care  of  the  sheep.  Here  among  the  beautiful  fields  and  hills 
of  Bethlehem  he  learned  much  of  the  pastoral  life  which  is 
evident  all  through  his  writings.  Here  he  learned  to  love 
God  and  to  worship  him  out  in  his  own  temples. 

The  Twenty-third  Psalm  never  could  have  been  written 
without  the  life  spent  with  nature,  and  out  under  the  heavens 
at  night  with  a  close  communion  with  the  things  that  God 
had  made. 

At  this  time  God’s  people  had  been  led  sadly  astray  by 
King  Saul  whose  reign  had  opened  with  so  much  promise 
and  ended  so  disastrously  to  himself  and  to  his  people. 

Samuel,  God’s  prophet,  was  directed  by  God  to  go  to 
Bethlehem  to  anoint  a  successor  to  Saul  from  the  family  of 
Jesse.  It  was  a  great  event  when  he  made  his  appearance  in 

131 


132 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Bethlehem,  and  he  was  received  with  much  respect.  Jesse 
and  his  older  sons  were  among  those  who  came  to>  greet  him. 

Our  story  tells  how  the  sons  were  called,  one  by  one,  to 
pass  before  Samuel ;  how  each  was  dismissed ;  how  at  last 
David  was  called  from  the  fields,  and  proved  to  be  God’s 
accepted,  the  future  king  of  his  chosen  people. 

The  Story 

Once  upon  a  time,  long,  long  ago  there  lived  a  boy  whose 
name  was  David. 

David  had  seven  brothers  and  two  sisters ;  he  was  the 
youngest  boy,  and  his  father  loved  him  dearly.  That  was 
the  reason  he  named  him  David  which  means  “  dear.” 

The  boy’s  father  was  a  rich  man ;  he  owned  a  great  deal 
of  land  near  the  village,  and  over  his  meadows  and  hillsides 
roamed  a  very  great  number  of  sheep  and  little  lambs. 

David  helped  his  father  to  take  care  of  the  sheep ;  he  was 
a  shepherd  boy. 

His  father  often  said  to  himself :  “  I  can  trust  David  with 
the  sheep.  They  are  quite  safe  with  him,”  and  he  was  right, 
for  David  was  kind  to  them  always. 

He  was  brave,  too;  for  he  often  slept  under  the  stars  at 
night  after  he  had  helped  every  sheep  and  little  lamb  into 
the  sheepfold. 

Once  he  killed  a  bear  that  came  prowling  round.  And 
once  he  killed  a  lion.  David  was  very  proud  to  tell  how  he 
killed  the  bear  and  the  lion. 

When  the  sheep  were  safe  and  contented,  eating  the  green 
grass  on  the  hillside,  David  would  sit  down  under  some 
shady  tree  and  play  his  harp.  He  would  sing  and  play  beau¬ 
tiful  music  about  the  birds  and  the  bees  and  the  flowers  and 
the  butterflies.  Sometimes  he  would  make  his  harp  sound 
like  the  song  of  a  bird ;  sometimes  he  would  imitate  the  pat¬ 
tering  of  the  raindrops ;  sometimes  he  would  make  it  sound 
like  a  little  brook  rippling  over  the  stones. 

God  in  heaven  was  well  pleased  when  he  watched  this 
good,  true  shepherd  boy. 

Now  the  king  that  ruled  over  the  land  was  not  a  good 
king  at  all.  He  was  not  obedient  to  God ;  he  did  not  set  a 
good  example  for  his  people;  he  was  not  brave.  He  was 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


133 


not  living  a  good  life  up  in  the  great,  beautiful  palace.  God 
was  displeased. 

The  greatest  prophet  and  teacher  of  the  time  was  Samuel, 
an  old  man  whom  God  loved.  God  spoke  to  Samuel  and 
gave  him  messages  to  tell  the  people.  God  gave  him  mes¬ 
sages  to  take  to  King  Saul,  but  King  Saul  did  not  mind  the 
messages. 

At  last  God  said :  “  Saul  is  not  fit  to  be  king  over  my 
people.  I  shall  choose  some  one  else.w 

Then  God  said  to  Samuel:  “Fill  thy  horn  with  oil.  I 
will  send  thee  to  Jesse  who  lives  in  Bethlehem.  I  have 
chosen  one  of  his  sons  to  be  king  in  Saul’s  place. 

“  Go  to  Bethlehem  and  say  that  thou  hast  come  to  sacri¬ 
fice  and  to  worship  the  Lord.  Call  Jesse  to  the  sacrifice.  I 
will  show  thee  what  to  do.” 

In  those  days  the  king  whom  God  chose  had  to  be 
anointed  with  oil.  A  horn  of  oil  was  poured  over  his  head. 
This  was  to  be  done  by  God’s  messenger,  or  prophet. 

Samuel  filled  a  horn  with  oil  and  went  to  Bethlehem.  He 
said  that  he  wished  to  sacrifice  and  to  worship  the  Lord. 
He  called  Jesse  and  his  sons  to  the  sacrifice. 

Then  Samuel  looked  at  Jesse’s  eldest  son,  Eliab.  He  was 
tall  and  handsome.  He  had  been  a  soldier  in  the  king’s 
army.  God’s  messenger  thought :  “  Surely  this  is  the  young 
man  whom  God  hath  chosen  to  be  king.  God  will  tell  me 
to  pour  the  oil  on  Eliab’s  head.” 

But  the  voice  of  God  whispered :  “  He  is  tall ;  he  is  hand¬ 
some.  But  the  Lord  looketh  not  on  these  things.  God 
looketh  on  the  heart.  He  hath  not  chosen  Eliab.”  And 
Eliab  was  passed  by. 

Then  the  second  son  was  called.  He,  too,  passed  before 
Samuel.  But  God  said,  “  Neither  have  I  chosen  this  son.” 

The  third  son  passed  before  Samuel,  and  again  God  said, 
“  Neither  have  I  chosen  him.”  The  father  called  seven  of 
his  sons  before  Samuel ;  but  Samuel  knew  that  the  Lord  had 
not  chosen  any  of  them. 

Then  Samuel  asked  Jesse,  “Are  these  all  thy  children?” 

“  There  is  yet  my  youngest  boy.  He  has  charge  of  the 
sheep,”  answered  the  father. 

“  Send  for  him,”  said  Samuel.  “  We  will  not  sit  down 
until  he  comes.” 


134 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  father  sent  out  in  the  fields  for  David  and  it  was  not 
long  before  he  came  in.  How  straight  he  stood !  How 
strong  were  those  arms  that  carried  the  little  lambs,  and  had 
even  killed  a  bear  and  a  lion !  How  bright  were  his  eyes 
that  had  watched  his  flock  SO'  carefully ! 

The  Lord  whispered  to  Samuel,  “  Arise,  anoint  him ;  for 
this  is  he.”  God  had  chosen  the  good  shepherd  boy  to  be 
king  over  his  people. 

Samuel  took  his  horn  of  oil  and  poured  it  over  David’s 
head.  David  listened  to  the  message  that  Samuel  told  him 
and  from  that  day  he  began  to  make  himself  ready  for  the 
great  work  for  which  God’s  messenger  had  anointed  him. 

Suggestions  tor  the  Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

(Explain  that  this  was  one  of  David’s  songs.  Get  the 
children  to  tell  you  how  it  was  that  he  could  write  so  well 
of  the  sheep  and  the  pastures  and  the  out-of-door  life.) 

The  Twenty-third  Psalm. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  may  we  follow  the  example  of  the  shep¬ 
herd  boy,  David,  who  listened  so  well  to  thy  messenger,  and 
who  remembered  thy  message  to  him  all  the  days  of  his  life. 
Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Make  a  cardboard  flock  of  sheep  for  the  sand  table. 

Construct  a  sheep  fold  from  a  paper  box. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  STILE  SMALL  VOICE 
I  Kings  19 : 1-18 
Memory  Verse 

“  And,  behold,  there  came  a  voice  unto  him.” 

—I  Kings  19:13b. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


135 


The:  Tlachlr's  Preparation 

Let  us  make  use  of  this  story  to  direct  the  children’s  at¬ 
tention  to  the  still,  small  voice  that  speaks  to  all  of  us.  Let 
us  try  to  make  them  sensitive  and  tender  when  they  hear  it, 
and  susceptible  to  its  admonitions. 

Israel  was  in  the  toils  of  wicked  Ahab,  and  he  was  a  tool 
in  the  hands  of  Jezebel,  the  foreign,  Baal-worshiping 
princess  whom  he  married.  God  was  forgotten  and  his 
house  neglected  by  his  people.  Idols  were  in  the  groves  and 
high  places,  and  the  people  had  strayed  far  from  the  simple 
life  and  faith  of  their  forefathers. 

Elijah  had  been  sent  as  a  messenger  from  God  to  this 
king,  and  he  had  just  gone  through  a  season  of  extreme  ex¬ 
citement  and  bodily  and  mental  tension  during  his  conflict 
with  the  prophets  of  Baal  who  assembled  on  the  mountain 
height  that  memorable  day.  His  bold  upbraiding,  his  dar¬ 
ing  gibes  which  awakened  the  failing  priests  to  shrill  cries  of 
frenzy ;  then  the  grand  dignity  of  the  final  proof  of  God’s 
triumph ;  the  destruction  of  the  false  prophets ;  the  anger 
of  Ahab  and  the  threats  of  the  infuriated  queen  were  bound 
to  bring  about  a  reaction  in  the  intrepid  Elijah. 

He  heard  the  queen’s  menace,  “  The  gods  do  to  me,  and 
more  also,  if  1  make  not  thy  life  as  the  life  of  one  of  them 
by  to-morrow  about  this  time !  ” 

Unexpectedly,  Elijah’s  courage  left  him:  he  ran  from  the 
place  to  escape  the  queen’s  relentless  anger ;  with  his  servant 
he  fled  south  to  Beer-sheba,  eighty  miles  from  Jezreel.  This 
was  not  far  enough  to  the  disheartened,  frightened  man. 
Pie  left  his  servant  and  went  out  alone  into  the  desert.  He 
wandered  over  the  wild,  wishing  only  to  die.  He  had  be¬ 
come  the  picture  of  a  despondent  man  with  a  forlorn  and 
lost  hope,  the  spirit  of  the  place  and  the  spirit  of  the  man 
alike,  a  dreary  waste. 

Then  God’s  messengers  came  to  comfort  him :  the  angel 
and  also  the  still,  small  voice.  Elijah  listened  and  heard. 

The  Story 

It  was  raining!  The  sky  was  black  with  clouds.  How 
wild  the  mountain  looked !  The  thunder  roared  and  the 
lightning  flashed ! 


136 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


When  the  water  fell  it  touched  bare,  dry  ground ;  there 
was  no  grass,  there  were  no  flowers  or  vegetables. 

Everyone  in  Israel  should  have  been  glad  to  see  the  rain 
because  it  meant  that  the  dreadful  famine  would  now  be 
over.  Grass  would  come  back;  fruit  and  vegetables  would 
grow. 

Elijah  had  asked  God  to  send  the  rain,  and  God  had  an¬ 
swered  his  prayer. 

The  queen  looked  from  her  palace  window  at  the  rain. 
She  saw  the  king  hurrying  toward  the  palace  in  his  chariot. 
The  storm  grew  fiercer. 

Running  so  fast  that  he  kept  ahead  of  the  chariot  was  a 
man.  He  was  a  strong  man,  and  a  swift  runner. 

“  It  is  Elijah !  ”  the  queen  exclaimed.  Her  eyes  flashed 
and  her  face  showed  how  she  hated  that  man.  Elijah  loved 
God  and  was  his  prophet.  He  had  prayed  to  God  to  send 
the  rain  while  he  was  up  on  the  mountain. 

God  had  answered  Elijah’s  prayer. 

Four  hundred  and  fifty  priests  of  the  idol  Baal  had 
prayed  to  their  god ;  but  of  course  Baal  could  not  answer. 

Elijah  ran  so  fast  that  he  reached  the  gate  even  before 
the  king  came  to  it. 

“  It  is  because  of  what  Elijah  hath  done  this  day  on  the 
top  of  Mount  Carmel  that  the  rain  has  come !  ”  exclaimed 
the  king  when  he  went  into  the  palace.  “  He  also  called 
down  fire  from  heaven  to  burn  up  the  sacrifice.  The  fire 
came  and  burned  up  even  the  stones,  and  licked  up  the 
water  in  the  trenches !  But  the  priests  of  Baal  are  dead. 
Elijah  commanded  that  they  should  be  killed.  All  four 
hundred  and  fifty  were  slain,  down  by  the  brook!  ” 

The  queen’s  face  grew  furious  with  anger.  She  was  an 
idol  worshiper,  and  the  priests  of  Baal  were  her  friends. 

She  called  a  messenger.  “  Go  tell  the  man,  Elijah,  that 
Queen  Jezebel  says,  ‘  So  let  the  gods  do  to  me,  and  more 
also,  if  I  make  not  thy  life  as  the  life  of  one  of  those  priests 
by  to-morrow  about  this  time.’  ” 

The  servant  told  Elijah  the  queen’s  message,  and  Elijah 
arose  and  ran  for  his  life.  He  fled  for  miles,  away  beyond 
the  cities  of  the  wicked  king,  out  into  the  desert. 

Then  he  began  to  feel  tired.  He  was  hungry.  He  had 
worked  hard  for  God,  yet  now  he  thought  that  perhaps  it 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


137 


was  of  no  use.  Even  though  the  people  cried,  “  The  Lord, 
he  is  God,’’  when  they  saw  the  fire,  they  would  possibly  for¬ 
get  again.  Queen  Jezebel  was  angry.  She  was  an  unfor¬ 
giving  woman ;  she  had  vowed  to  kill  him  and  was  now 
searching  for  him. 

Elijah  thought  of  all  these  things  as  he  trudged  along  un¬ 
der  the  hot  sun ;  then  he  threw  himself  down  beneath  a 
juniper  tree  and  groaned:  “O  God,  take  away  my  life!  It 
is  enough.  Let  me  die !  ” 

The  juniper  tree  gave  a  good  shade,  and  presently  the 
tired,  frightened,  discouraged  man  was  fast  asleep.  God 
knew  that  his  servant  needed  rest,  for  he  was  taking  care  of 
him  all  the  time. 

Elijah  slept  and  slept  and  slept.  When  he  awoke  he 
found  that  God  had  sent  him  food.  He  ate,  and  when  he 
was  rested  he  traveled  on. 

After  forty  days  and  nights  he  found  a  cave  and  went  into 
it.  It  was  very  quiet.  Surely  he  was  safe  from  the  queen! 
But  he  was  not  doing  any  work  for  God. 

Presently  a  voice  said  to  him,  “  What  are  you  doing  here, 
Elijah?”  It  was  the  voice  of  God  speaking. 

“  I  am  grieving  because  of  the  way  God  is  treated,”  an¬ 
swered  Elijah.  “  The  people  have  forgotten  thee.  They 
have  killed  thy  teachers.  I  only  am  left.  Now  Queen 
Jezebel  is  seeking  after  me  to  kill  me.” 

God  knew  that  his  servant  needed  to  be  cheered  and  com¬ 
forted.  He  said,  “  Go  stand  upon  the  mountain.” 

Then  a  great  and  strong  wind  arose ;  it  swayed  the  trees 
and  bent  them;  it  broke  the  rocks  and  sent  them  tumbling 
down  the  mountain.  But  God  was  not  in  the  wind. 

After  the  wind  came  an  earthquake.  But  God  was  not  in 
the  earthquake.  After  the  earthquake  came  a  fire ;  but  God 
was  not  even  in  the  fire. 

After  all  these  things  had  passed,  a  still,  small  voice  spoke 
gently  to  Elijah.  “What  art  thou  doing  here,  Elijah?” 
whispered  the  still,  small  voice. 

“  I  have  been  very  sorry  because  the  people  have  been 
breaking  thy  Commandments,  throwing  down  thy  altars,  and 
killing  thy  teachers.  I  only  am  left,  and  Jezebel  is  seeking 
to  kill  me,”  complained  Elijah. 

“  Go  back  to  work  again,  Elijah,”  answered  the  still,  small 


138 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


voice.  “  Canst  thou  not  trust  the  way  that  I  have  chosen 
for  my  own  work  ?  ” 

Then  the  still,  small  voice  told  Elijah  what  to  do.  Elijah 
listened  and  obeyed.  He  left  the  cave  with  a  brave  and 
happy  heart,  to  go  on  with  his  work  for  God. 

Suggestions  for  the  Devotional  Service 

Talk  to  the  children  of  the  still,  small  voice  that  speaks 
to  all  of  us. 


A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  I  will  hear  what  God  Jehovah  will  speak.” 

— Psalm  85  :8a. 

“Teach  me  thy  way,  O  Jehovah.” — Psalm  27:11a. 

“  Blessed  is  the  man  that  heareth  me.” 

— Proverbs  8 :34a. 

“  Speak,  Jehovah;  for  thy  servant  heareth.” 

— I  Samuel  3  :9b. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  sending  thy  messen¬ 
gers  and  thy  messages  to  us.  Help  us  to  listen  to  the  read¬ 
ing  of  thy  Word  from  thy  Book,  the  Bible;  help  us  to  keep 
in  mind  the  messages  written  there,  remembering  that  they 
are  for  us.  Help  us  to  listen  well  to  those  whom  thou  hast 
sent  to  teach  us.  Help  us  to  listen  always  to  the  still,  small 
voice  when  it  speaks  to  us.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  Bible  bookmark,  copying  upon  it  one  of  the  Bible 
Reading  Lesson  verses.  Let  each  pupil  select  his  own  verse 
to  copy. 


THE  CHILDHOOD  OF  JESUS 


CHAPTER  XV 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

THE  ANGEE’S  MESSAGE  TO  MARY 
Luke  1 :26-38,  46-55 
Memory  Verse 

“  It  is  he  that  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins.” 

— Matthew  1 :21b. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

For  fourteen  weeks  we  shall  have  an  opportunity  of  giv¬ 
ing  the  children  a  consecutive  story  of  the  life  of  Christ 
upon  earth.  We  all  should  approach  this  task  with  the  ear¬ 
nest  desire  to  make  our  work  the  very  best  that  is  within  us, 
remembering  that  these  impressions  which  we  are  giving  are 
almost  the  first  thoughtful  ideas  that  our  pupils  have  re¬ 
ceived  about  God’s  Son.  If  we  can  bring  Jesus  before  our 
children  in  such  a  light  that  we  have  made  them  feel  that 
they  know  him,  that  they  trust  him,  that  they  are  willing 
to  serve  him,  and  above  all  to  love  him,  our  weeks  with  these 
lessons  will  prove  a  blessing  both  to  our  pupils  and  to  our¬ 
selves. 

The  lessons  open  with  stories  about  the  childhood  of 
Jesus.  A  connecting  link  is  formed  with  the  preceding 
theme  “  Listening  to  God’s  Messengers  ”  through  this  first 
lesson  “  The  Angel’s  Message  to  Mary.” 

Let  us  take  this  opportunity  of  learning  a  very  great 
deal  more  than  ever  we  have  known  before  of  the  times 
when  Jesus  lived:  of  the  special  need  of  help  and  of  forgive¬ 
ness,  and  of  the  need  of  instruction  and  comfort  which  the 
world  then  felt.  Let  us  learn  of  the  land  which  was  his 
home.  May  we  make  the  incidents  chosen  to  tell,  glow  with 
a  living  light. 


141 


142 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  girlhood  home  of  Mary  the  mother  of  Jesus  was 
Nazareth,  a  small  town  of  Galilee,  west  of  Capernaum.  The 
little  place  was  located  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  and  sloped  on 
down  into  the  valley.  There  are  other  hills,  also,  surround¬ 
ing  the  village.  Flat-roofed  houses  are  built  along  the  steep 
and  narrow  streets.  Fig  and  olive  trees  grow  in  the  gar¬ 
dens.  The  inhabitants  of  the  village  were  humble,  lowly 
people,  with  no  great  reputation  amongst  the  inhabitants  of 
the  larger  towns. 

Very  little  is  known  of  Mary.  However,  although  she 
lived  in  humble  circumstances  in  a  town  of  little  renown, 
her  life  was  such  that  she  found  favor  with  God,  and  was 
chosen  as  the  woman  best  fitted  to  become  the  mother  of 
Jesus. 

Palestine  was  at  this  time  under  the  tyrannical  rule  of 
the  emperor  of  Rome.  The  people  were  oppressed  with 
debt,  and  with  the  harsh,  unyielding  demands  of  a  selfish 
monarch. 


Suggestions  tor  Texting  the  Story 

It  is  not  difficult  for  us  to  picture  the  probable  life  of 
Mary,  the  young  girl  who  lived  in  the  Oriental  village  so 
long  ago :  how  she  obeyed  her  mother ;  how  she  helped  at  the 
everyday  tasks  of  the  household,  such  as  filling  the  great 
water  jars  at  the  fountain,  spinning  the  wool,  rolling  and 
unrolling  the  rugs,  helping  to  grind  the  grain,  learning  les¬ 
sons  from  God’s  Word,  and  so  forth. 

Describe  the  houses,  and  make  a  sketch  of  an  Oriental 
house  on  the  blackboard.  Tell  something  of  the  difference 
between  a  humble  home,  and  those  of  the  wealthier  classes. 
Learn  to  sketch  an  Oriental  house  with  ease,  to  use  in  be¬ 
ginning  your  story. 


The  Story 

Once  upon  a  time,  very  long  ago,  there  lived  a  little  girl 
named  Mary.  Her  home  was  in  the  town  called  Nazareth 
and  the  house  where  she  lived  probably  looked  something 
like  this : 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


143 


It  had  a  flat  roof  and  a  little  low  door.  It  was  not  a 
very  rich-looking  home,  but  it  was  clean,  and  Mary  and  her 
mother  liked  to  work  within  it,  and  keep  it  neat. 

Mary  helped  her  mother  every  day.  There  was  not  a  very 
great  deal  inside  the  little  low  room.  There  was  a  small 
table  and  some  rugs  and  some  big,  tall  jars.  One  of  these 
was  a  water  jar.  Mary  helped  her  mother  to  keep  the  jar 
filled  with  cool  water  from  the  fountain. 

In  one  corner  of  the  room  there  was  probably  a  mill  to 
grind  the  grain,  two  great  big  stones,  one  set  above  the  other. 
There  was  also  an  oven  where  Mary’s  mother  baked  the 
bread  and  the  cakes. 

I  think  that  there  must  have  been  a  garden  near  the  little 
white  house,  and  in  it  probably  were  fig  and  olive  trees,  and 
flowers  that  Mary  liked  to  tend. 

Early  in  the  morning  Mary  would  wake  up  and  dress  for 
a  busy,  happy  day.  She  would  say  her  prayer  to  God,  then 
roll  up  her  rug  and  go  to  help  her  mother. 

“  Take  the  water  jar  and  fill  it  at  the  fountain,  daughter,” 
her  mother  would  say,  “  it  is  empty.” 

Mary  would  put  the  jar  on  her  head  as  the  girls  and 
women  did  in  those  days.  She  would  go  to  the  well  and  fill 
the  jar  and  bring  it  home  brimming  full  to  her  mother. 

When  the  meal  was  over,  Mary’s  mother  would  often  say : 
“  I  am  going  to  teach  you  how  to  spin,  little  daughter.  You 
remember  that  God’s  Book  says  that  a  wise  woman  is  more 
precious  than  rubies.  I  want  you  to  be  wise.  Come!” 

Then  Mary’s  mother  would  take  some  wool  or  some  flax 
and  teach  her  little  daughter  to  spin. 

Back  and  forth  and  in  and  out  the  little  hands  would  put 


144 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


the  threads.  Her  mother  was  proud  of  the  beautiful  rug 
that  Mary  was  also  learning  to  make. 

As  she  spun  she  would  say  these  words  that  her  mother 
had  taught  her  from  the  Bible  about  a  wise  woman : 

“  She  seeketh  wool  and  flax. 

A.nd  worketh  willingly  with  her  hands.... 

She  layeth  her  hands  to  the  distaff, 

And  her  hands  hold  the  spindle.... 

She  is  not  afraid  of  the  snow  for  her  household; 

For  all  her  household  are  clothed  with  scarlet. 

She  maketh  for  herself  carpets  of  tapestry; 

Her  clothing  is  fine  linen  and  purple.” 

All  the  little  children  in  Nazareth  loved  Mary ;  for  she 
was  always  ready  to  play  with  them  and  to  help  them  when 
they  broke  their  toys  or  hurt  themselves. 

Then,  when  the  close  of  the  day  had  come,  Mary  would 
help  to  take  down  the  rugs  from  the  shelves  and  unroll  them 
in  place  for  the  beds,  as  was  done  in  each  pretty  house  in 
Nazareth.  When  she  herself  was  ready  for  sleep,  she  would 
kneel  down  on  her  own  little  rug  and  pray  to  God,  our  heav¬ 
enly  Father. 

The  years  passed  on,  and  the  little  Mary  became  a  young 
woman.  It  was  about  this  time  that  God  planned  to  do 
a  great  thing  for  the  people  of  the  earth.  Many  people  were 
sad  and  unhappy  because  they  had  sinned  and  disobeyed. 
God  wanted  them  to  be  happier. 

To  be  happier  they  would  have  to  be  good  ;  so  God  planned 
to  send  his  Son,  Jesus,  to  save  the  people  from  their  sins. 
It  was  almost  time  for  Jesus  to  come. 

Jesus  was  to  be  born  in  the  world,  a  little  Baby. 

God  had  been  watching  to  see  who  would  be  the  very  tru¬ 
est,  best  mother  for  his  Son,  the  dear  Baby  Jesus.  He  had 
been  watching  Mary  in  her  home  at  Nazareth.  He  saw  how 
well  she  always  had  listened  to  her  mother’s  messages  and 
teachings,  how  she  always  answered  her  calls.  He  saw  how 
gentle  she  was  to  those  who  needed  help ;  how  kind  she  was 
to  those  who  were  sick  or  sad.  He  saw  how  good  she  was 
to  little  children.  So  God  chose  Mary  to  be  the  mother  of 
the  little  Baby  Jesus. 

One  day,  when  she  was  alone,  he  sent  his  angel  messenger 
to  tell  her  the  wonderful  news.  The  angel  said  to  her: 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


145 


“  Mary,  the  Lord  hath  sent  me  to  give  thee  a  glad  message ! 
Thou  shouldst  be  the  happiest  of  women !” 

When  Mary  first  saw  the  angel  and  heard  his  words,  she 
was  troubled.  She  wondered  what  his  words  could  mean. 

The  angel  said:  “  Fear  not,  Mary.  God  loveth  thee,  and 
is  pleased  with  thee,  because  thou  hast  loved  and  obeyed 
him.”  Then  the  angel  told  her  that  soon  a  little  Son  should 
be  given  to  her.  “  Thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus,”  he  said. 

He  then  told  her  that  the  Baby  was  God’s  Son ;  that  when 
he  grew  older,  he  should  be  great  and  should  rule  over  his 
people  as  a  king  forever  and  ever.  The  Baby  Jesus  was  to 
save  the  people  from  their  sins. 

Mary  listened  to  the  wonderful  message,  and  she  was  very 
glad.  After  that  day  her  prayers  had  in  them  messages  to 
God  about  the  Baby.  And  her  heart  was  so  full  of  happiness 
that  she  sang  a  beautiful  song  of  praise  and  thanks. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBEE  READING  LESSON 

(Suggest  to  the  children  that  Mary  heard  this  psalm  read, 
that  possibly  she  learned  it.) 

Copy  on  the  blackboard  or  read  Psalm  147  :1,  4,  5,  6,  7, 
8,  9,  16,  17,  18,  last  clause,  “  Praise  ye  Jehovah.” 

SONG 

A  Praise  Song. 

prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  make  our  lives  pure  and  good 
and  true.  Help  us  so  to  live  that  we  may  be  trusted  with 
the  work  that  thou  hast  chosen  us  to  do.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Copy  one  or  more  of  the  Bible  Reading  selections. 

Cut  out  from  cardboard  or  draw  a  house  something  like 
that  in  which  Mary  lived. 

Make  a  list  of  some  of  the  things  that  must  have  been  in 
Mary’s  home. 


146 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Write  one  sentence  telling  a  way  in  which  Mary  pleased 
God  when  she  was  a  little  girl. 

A  Poem  About  a  Good  Little  Girl  ob  To-Day 

Good  Night  and  Good  Morning 

A  fair  little  girl  sat  under  a  tree, 

Sewing  as  long  as  her  eyes  could  see : 

Then  smoothed  her  work,  and  folded  it  right, 

And  said,  “  Dear  work !  Good  night !  good  night !” 

Such  a  number  of  rooks  came  over  her  head 
Crying  “  Caw,  caw,”  on  their  way  to  bed. 

She  said  as  she  watched  their  curious  flight, 

“  Little  black  things  !  Good  night !  good  night !” 

The  horses  neighed  and  the  oxen  lowed : 

The  sheep’s  “  Bleat,  bleat !”  came  over  the  road : 

All  seeming  to  say,  with  a  quiet  delight, 

“  Good  little  girl !  Good  night !  good  night !” 

She  did  not  say  to  the  sun,  “  Good  night,” 

Though  she  saw  him  there  like  a  ball  of  light; 

For  she  knew  he  had  God’s  time  to  keep 
All  over  the  world,  and  never  could  sleep. 

The  tall  pink  foxglove  bowed  his  head — 

The  violets  curtsied  and  went  to  bed : 

And  good  little  Lucy  tied  up  her  hair 
And  said  on  her  knees  her  favorite  prayer. 

And  while  on  her  pillow  she  softly  lay 
They  knew  nothing  more  till  it  was  day: 

And  all  things  said  to  the  beautiful  sun, 

“  Good  morning !  Good  morning !  Our  work  is  begun.” 

— Richard  Monckton  Milnes  (Lord  Houghton). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  ANGELS’  SONG  AND  THE 
SHEPHERDS’  VISIT 

Luke  2:1-20 

Memory  Verse 

“  Glory  tO'  God  in  the  highest, 

And  on  earth  peace  among  men.” 


— Luke  2  : 14. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


147 


The  Teacher's  Preparation 

“  Come  now !  Let  us  go>  unto  Bethlehem.” 

The  distance  from  Nazareth  to  Bethlehem  of  Judea  was 
about  eighty  miles,  and  would  necessarily  take  Joseph  and 
Mary  several  days  to>  travel.  They  were  required  to  go 
because  the  decree  had  been  issued  from  Rome  that  every 
inhabitant  of  Palestine  must  repair  to  the  home  of  his  family 
in  order  to  be  enrolled  for  taxation. 

Joseph  and  Mary  were  both  of  the  royal  line  of  David, 
and  went  to  Bethlehem  for  the  purpose  of  enrollment. 

Bethlehem  was  a  small  town  with  humble,  little  flat-roofed 
houses  built  along  the  street.  Outside  the  city  on  the  plains 
and  hills,  shepherds  watched  their  sheep,  as  it  was  a  pastoral 
country. 

Here  in  Bethlehem,  in  the  far-distant  past,  Ruth,  the 
lovely  Moabitess,  had  gleaned  in  the  fields  of  Boaz,  the 
wealthy  landowner  who  afterwards  made  her  his  wife.  Here 
David  had  watched  the  flocks  of  Jesse,  his  father.  Here 
Samuel,  the  prophet,  had  repaired  at  the  command  of  God, 
and  selected  and  anointed  the  boy  as  the  future  king  of 
Israel. 

Many  tender  thoughts  and  memories  must  have  welled  up 
in  the  hearts  of  those  two  tired  travelers  through  whose 
veins  coursed  the  blood  of  these  royal  ancestors. 

“  There  was  no  room  for  them  in  the  inn.”  An  Oriental 
khan,  or  inn,  is  a  low  building  made  of  rough  stones,  and 
generally  one  story  in  height.  There  is  a  square  inclosure 
in  which  the  animals  may  be  tied  for  safety.  There  are  low, 
arched  recesses  for  the  travelers.  These  are  like  low  rooms 
with  no  front  wall  to  them.  They  are  bare ;  the  traveler 
brings  his  own  rug  if  he  pleases,  to  sit  upon  and  to  sleep 
upon  at  night.  He  waits  upon  himself  and  brings  his  own 
food.  Such  accommodation  would  cost  a  very  small  amount. 

Now  Mary  and  Joseph  came  so  late  that  they  could  not 
even  get  this  lodging,  but  were  forced  to  find  a  place  as  best 
they  could  in  the  portion  of  the  khan  assigned  to  the  animals. 

Thus  the  birth  of  Jesus  took  place  amidst  the  lowliest  of 
all  lowly  surroundings. 

The  Story 

One  night,  a  long  time  ago,  two  travelers  were  going  over 


148 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


the  road  toward  the  town  of  Bethlehem.  It  was  growing 
colder  all  the  time  because  the  sun  had  set,  and  it  was  winter. 

The  man’s  name  was  Joseph,  and  he  had  a  kind,  good 
face,  but  now  it  was  troubled  as  he  looked  at  his  young  wife 
Mary. 

It  was  eighty  miles  from  Nazareth,  the  town  where  they 
had  been  living.  Mary  had  ridden  on  a  donkey,  but  the 
long  journey  had  made  her  very  tired,  for  she  was  not 
strong. 

“  The  houses  of  Bethlehem  are  in  sight,  Mary ;  we  shall 
soon  be  there,”  said  Joseph. 

They  plodded  along.  “Are  you  very  cold?”  he  asked 
tenderly.  “  But  the  inn  is  only  a  little  distance  farther.  We 
shall  soon  be  there.  Then  you  shall  rest  and  have  something 
to  eat,”  he  comforted  her. 

The  inn  was  a  low  building  built  round  a  court.  There 
were  small,  plain  rooms  where  travelers  could  lodge.  There 
were  also  places  where  they  could  tie  their  beasts  of  burden 
for  safety  and  rest. 

Many  other  travelers  had  also  been  coming  to  Bethlehem, 
in  order  to  obey  the  command  of  the  ruler  who  had  con¬ 
quered  the  land.  He  lived  in  a  palace  in  a  far-away  country. 
To  help  him  to  buy  beautiful  robes  of  velvet,  and  jewels,  and 
gold,  and  chariots,  and  all  the  splendid  things  that  made  his 
palace  a  wonderful  place  in  which  to  live,  he  taxed  the 
people,  rich  and  poor,  throughout  all  the  land.  He  sent  out 
the  order  that  everyone  must  go  to  the  city  where  he  had 
been  born,  and  write  his  name  in  a  book. 

Joseph  and  Mary  were  descendants  of  David  of  Bethle¬ 
hem,  so  to  Bethlehem  they  were  going  to  obey  the  order  of 
the  emperor.  Many  other  people  also'  were  going  to<  the 
same  city  for  the  same  reason. 

Presently  they  reached  the  inn.  Joseph  knocked.  Prob¬ 
ably  a  porter  answered.  Joseph  asked  for  a  room  for  him¬ 
self  and  for  Mary,  his  wife. 

“  Room !”  exclaimed  the  porter.  “  There  is  not  a  room 
left,  man.  You  have  come  to  pay  the  taxes,  I  suppose?” 

“  I  have,”  replied  Joseph.  “  Bethlehem  is  the  home  of 
my  fathers.  We  have  come  to  write  our  names  in  the  tax 
book.” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


149 


“  But  you  are  late ;  the  town  is  full  of  other  people.  There 
is  not  a  room  left,”  said  the  man. 

Joseph’s  face  grew  still  more  troubled.  “  But  my  wife  is 
very  tired.  She  has  traveled  many  miles,  all  the  way  from 
Nazareth.  She  must  have  a  resting  place,”  begged  Joseph. 

“  There  is  no  room,”  said  the  man  again.  “  Every  room 
is  full.” 

Then  he  added  thoughtfully,  “  You  can  go  to  the  stable  if 
that  will  be  of  any  help.” 

So  Joseph  had  to  be  content.  He  led  the  donkey  round  to 
the  stable  and  helped  his  tired  young  wife  and  took  her  into 
the  stable.  Mary  was  glad  for  even  that  rude  shelter,  and 
for  the  bed  of  hay. 

Here  a  little  baby  Boy  was  born. 

Now,  out  in  the  fields  near  Bethlehem  there  were  some 
shepherds  watching  their  sheep.  Their  flocks  were  resting 
quietly  round  them.  Suddenly  they  were  roused  from  their 
rest.  They  looked  into  the  winter  sky.  What  was  that  soft, 
bright  light  coming  from  heaven  to  earth?  They  rose  to 
their  feet.  “  Look !”  cried  one  and  then  another.  “  Look ! 
What  is  that  bright  light  over  Bethlehem?”  It  fell  over  the 
housetops,  it  lighted  the  fields  where  the  shepherds  were. 

While  they  wondered,  an  angel  came  before  them  and 
said:  “Be  not  afraid;  for  behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings 
of  great  joy  which  shall  be  to  all  the  people:  for  there  is 
born  to  you  this  day  in  the  city  of  David  a  Saviour,  who  is 
Christ  the  Lord.” 

The  angel  told  the  shepherds  to  go  and  find  the  Saviour. 
The  Baby  was  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  lying  in  a 
manger. 

Then  a  host  of  angels  came  and  sang  this  beautiful  song: 
“  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest.” 

The  shepherds  said,  “  Let  us  go  find  the  Baby.” 

They  went  to  Bethlehem  and  found  the  stable  of  the  inn. 
They  passed  within  and  found  the  Baby  Jesus. 

Mary,  the  good  young  woman  who  had  come  from  her 
home  in  Nazareth,  was  the  Baby’s  mother.  She  had  dressed 
her  little  Child  in  the  soft  swaddling  clothes  such  as  mothers 
put  upon  babies  in  those  days.  She  had  placed  him  in  a 
manger,  for  she  had  no  other  cradle.  The  wonderful  light 
rested  over  the  Baby,  and  the  shepherds  looked  down  upon 


150 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


him  as  he  lay  in  his  manger  cradle.  Truly  they  never  had 
seen  anything  so  wonderful  before. 

The  shepherds  stayed  with  the  Baby  a  little  while,  and 
then  they  left  the  stable.  On  their  way  back  to  the  field, 
they  told  everyone  they  met  about  the  happy  news  that  the 
angel  had  given.  They  told  about  the  angels  and  the  song; 
and  how  they  had  run  to  the  stable  and  found  all  the  words 
of  the  angel  true.  The  shepherds  then  sang  praises  to  God 
and  thanked  him. 


Devotional  Service 
A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

Read  from  the  Bible  or  have  the  pupils  recite  Luke  2  :l-20. 

SONGS 

“  While  Shepherds  Watched  Their  Flocks  by  Night.” 

“  Luther’s  Cradle  Hymn.” 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  the  little  Baby  that 
was  born  in  the  manger  at  Bethlehem,  thy  wonderful  Gift  to 
all  the  people  of  earth. 

Help  us  to  find  him  and  to  love  him  and  praise  him  as  the 
shepherds  did  that  night  so  long  ago.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

During  the  week  learn  a  part  of  the  Bible  Reading  Les¬ 
son. 


0 


CHAPTER  XVI 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

THE  VISIT  OF  THE  WISE  MEN 
Matthew  2:1-12 
Memory  Verse 

“  And  opening  their  treasures  they  offered  unto  him  gifts.” 
— Matthew  2:11c. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Herod  the  Great  at  this  time  ruler  over  Palestine,  was 
himself  subject  to  the  emperor  of  Rome.  His  had  been  a 
life  of  adventure.  He  was  really  a  usurper,  being  a  de¬ 
scendant  of  Esau,  and  not  of  the  royal  line. 

He  had  managed  to  obtain  the  throne  once  occupied  by 
David,  and  had  kept  it  for  over  thirty  years,  basking  in  the 
luxury  which  it  procured  for  him,  yet  living  a  life  of  fear, 
hatred,  and  suspicion.  He  exercised  a  cruel  tyranny  toward 
the  people  over  whom  he  so  wrongfully  held  sway. 

His  subjects  in  turn  hated  the  tyrant  and  gave  him  an 
extremely  unwilling  obedience. 

To  render  such  an  arrangement  at  all  possible  the  crafty 
Herod  had  always  been  a  flatterer  of  the  great  Roman  em¬ 
peror.  But  now  the  false  ruler  had  grown  old  and  full  of 
anxiety  for  the  safety  of  his  throne.  The  story  of  the  com¬ 
ing  of  a  new  King  found  its  way  to  his  palace  and  he  sent 
for  the  Magi,  who  had  brought  the  news. 

The  Magi 

Very  little  is  definitely  known  about  the  “  Magi  ”  or 
“  Wise  Men  ”  who  made  this  early  visit  to  the  Baby  Jesus. 
The  coming  of  the  Magi  means  much  to1  the  Christian 
Church  in  that  it  represents  the  knowledge  of  Christ  brought 
to  the  Gentiles. 


.  151 


152 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  native  countries,  the  names,  or  the  positions  occupied 
by  the  Magi  are  shrouded  in  mystery,  though  imagination 
and  tradition  have  always  been  busy  and  many  beautiful 
stories  have  been  woven  about  them. 

Tradition  says  that  there  were  three  Wise  Men  though 
even  this  number  is  not  certain.  According  to  the  Venerable 
Bede  the  three  were  Melchior,  an  old  man  with  long  hair 
and  white  beard ;  Caspar,  a  ruddy  and  beardless  young  man ; 
and  Balthasar,  a  swarthy  man  in  the  prime  of  life.  Of 
course  we  cannot  be  sure  as  to  their  names,  if  its  record 
does  not  give  the  information. 

We  read  in  Matthew  that  they  had  seen  the  star  of  the 
Messiah  in  the  East,  and  that  they  had  come  to  find  him  and 
to  bring  him  gifts. 

The  world  was  weary  of  sin,  and  the  full  time  of  which 
the  prophets  had  told  had  come. 


Thl  Story 

One  night  not  so  very  long  after  the  shepherds  found  the 
Baby  Jesus  with  Mary  his  mother  in  the  stable  of  the  inn, 
three  tall  camels  were  traveling  along  through  the  desert. 
A  rider  was  perched  away  up  on  each  camel’s  humpy  back. 

The  big  beasts  swayed  something  like  ships  as  they  moved 
along,  but  the  riders  did  not  mind,  for  they  had  come  a  long 
distance  from  far  countries  and  were  quite  used  to  the  rock¬ 
ing.  Besides,  they  were  too  busy  thinking  of  the  errand  that 
they  had  come  upon,  to  consider  anything  else. 

Each  man’s  camel  carried  a  pack,  food  and  clothing  and 
a  tent.  Besides  these  things  each  man  had  put  in  his  pack 
something  very  precious  that  he  had  brought  all  the  way 
from  his  far  country.  One  man  had  gold  in  his  pack, 
one  had  frankincense,  and  one  had  myrrh. 

The  camels  traveled  along  in  a  stately  way,  for  they 
were  fine  beasts,  the  best  that  could  be  bought.  The  men 
were  rich,  and  had  spared  no  money  when  they  chose  them ; 
the  silver  harness  bells  of  the  animals  tinkled  when  they 
moved  their  heads. 

Sometimes  the  men  journeyed  at  night,  for  the  stars  were 
very  bright,  and  it  is  far  pleasanter  to  travel  over  the  desert 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


153 


after  the  sun  has  set.  As  they  went  along  they  often  looked 
earnestly  up  at  the  sky. 

These  men  were  “  Magi,”  or  “  Wise  Men,”  and  they  had 
studied  the  stars  and  knew  a  great  deal  about  them.  They 
knew  their  names  and  knew  where  to  look  for  them  in  the 
sky.  A  new  star  had  appeared  in  the  heavens,  a  very  bright 
star. 

The  men  talked  about  this  star,  and  about  a  little  Baby 
King  whom  they  were  going  to  find.  The  star  was  his  star, 
and  they  were  following  it ;  it  was  leading  them  to  his  birth¬ 
place.  The  precious  things  in  their  packs  were  for  the  lit¬ 
tle,  newborn  King.  They  were  carrying  the  gifts  to  him. 

The  star  led  them  on;  they  left  the  desert  and  came  to 
the  gates  of  a  great,  big  city  with  a  wall  round  about  it. 
It  was  Jerusalem,  where  the  king  of  the  Jewish  people  lived. 
His  name  was  Herod ;  he  was  an  old  man  and  a  bad  man. 
He  was  cruel  to  his  people.  He  lived  in  a  beautiful  palace 
and  had  fine  chariots  and  robes  of  silks  and  velvets  and  a 
jeweled  crown.  But  many  of  these  things  were  bought  with 
the  money  that  he  made  his  people  give  to  him. 

He  hated  his  people  and  they  hated  him.  For  many  years 
they  had  been  longing  for  a  new  king. 

The  Wise  Men  came  to  the  gates ;  they  halted  their  cam¬ 
els.  They  spoke  to  the  porter. 

“  Where  can  we  find  the  little  King  who  has  just  been 
born?”  they  asked. 

The  gatekeepers  looked  in  surprise  at  the  strangers.  “  We 
know  of  no  Baby  King,”  they  answered. 

“  We  have  seen  his  star  in  the  East,  and  have  come  to 
worship  him,”  said  the  Wise  Men. 

But  the  gatekeepers  could  not  tell  them  anything  about 
the  little  King. 

The  Wise  Men  passed  through  the  city  and  asked  the 
same  question,  “  Where  can  we  find  the  Baby  King  ?  ”  But 
everyone  gave  the  same  answer,  “  We  know  of  no  Baby 
King.” 

The  news  of  the  coming  of  the  strange  men  and  of  their 
strange  question  began  to  spread.  Some  one  took  the  story 
to  the  palace. 

Old  King  Herod  was  angry;  he  was  frightened.  What 
did  the  men  mean  ?  Could  it  be  possible  that  his  throne  and 


154 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


his  crown  and  his  palace  and  all  his  kingly  things  could  be 
taken  away  from  him?  At  last  he  called  the  chief  men  of 
the  city,  and  they  talked  together  in  the  palace. 

“  Yes,  the  book  of  the  prophets  says  that  sometime  a  new 
King  of  the  Jews  shall  come,”  they  said.  Herod  grew  more 
and  more  troubled. 

When  the  chief  men  of  the  city  were  gone,  he  secretly 
called  the  Wise  Men  and  asked  them  about  the  Baby  and  the 
star.  At  last  he  said :  “  Go  search  up  and  down  the  land  for 
this  Child.  When  you  find  him,  come  and  tell  me,  that  I, 
also,  may  go  and  worship  him.”  This  is  what  the  bad  king 
said,  but  he  really  meant  to  kill  the  Baby. 

The  Wise  Men  went  on  their  way,  and  the  star  led  them. 
By  and  by  it  rested  over  a  house  in  the  little  town  of  Beth¬ 
lehem.  The  travelers  knew  that  their  search  was  over.  They 
went  into  the  house  and  found  a  tiny  Baby  with  his  mother. 
It  was  Jesus  and  his  mother,  Mary.  The  Wise  Men  fell 
down  and  worshiped  him.  Then  they  brought  their  beauti¬ 
ful  gifts,  gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh.  But  when  it  was 
time  to  go  back,  God  warned  them  in  a  dream  not  to  tell 
Herod,  so  they  went  home  another  way. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBEE  READING  LESSON 

“  Now  when  Jesus  was  born  in  Bethlehem  of  Judaea  in 
the  days  of  Herod  the  king,  behold,  Wise  Men  from  the  east 
came  to  Jerusalem,  saying,  Where  is  he  that  is  born  King 
of  the  Jews?  for  we  saw  his  star  in  the  east,  and  are  come  to 
worship  him.  And  they  came  into  the  house  and  saw  the 
young  child  with  Mary  his  mother,  and  they  fell  down  and 
worshipped  him.” 

RECITE  THE  memory  VERSE 
PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  that  the  Wise  Men  found 
the  Baby  when  they  searched  for  him  and  wanted  to  find 
him.  Teach  us  that  everybody  needs  to  find  Jesus.  Help  us 
and  all  people  to  find  him.  May  we  bring  him  the  gifts  that 
will  please  him  most,  our  love  and  our  hearts.  Amen. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


155 


SONG 

“  We  Three  Kings  of  Orient  Are.” 

Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Cut  out  three  paper  camels  and  make  a  poster  picture  of 
how  you  think  the  Wise  Men  looked  when  they  followed  the 
star. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  BABY  JESUS  IN  THE  TEMPLE 

Luke  2 :22-38 
Memory  Verse 

“  Thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus.” — Matthew  1 :21b. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Forty  days  after  the  birth  of  Jesus  his  parents  took 
him  to  the  Temple  and  presented  him  to  the  Lord.  This  was 
according  to  the  Jewish  law.  A  pair  of  turtledoves  or  two 
young  pigeons  were  Mary’s  gifts,  brought  at  that  time  as 
her  thanksgiving  offering.  This  was  the  offering  of  a 
woman  in  humble  circumstances  and  signifies  the  financial 
condition  of  Joseph  and  Mary. 

While  they  were  in  the  Temple  two  remarkable  occur¬ 
rences  took  place.  Simeon,  an  aged  man,  came  in  to  wor¬ 
ship.  He  was  a  very  devout  man  and  had  been  promised 
by  God  that  he  should  not  die  until  he  had  seen  the  Messiah. 
He  saw  the  Baby  with  his  mother,  and  immediately  rec¬ 
ognized  him  as  the  Christ.  He  spoke  to  Mary,  took  the 
Baby  in  his  arms,  and  gave  thanks  to  God  for  the  privilege 
that  had  been  granted  him,  expressing  his  willingness  to 
“  depart  ...  in  peace.” 

A  saintly  woman  named  Anna,  a  prophetess,  who  had  been 
a  widow  for  many  years  and  was  now  eighty-four  years  of 
age,  came  forward  and  also  proclaimed  the  Baby  to  be  the 
Messiah. 


156 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Suggestions  for  Teaching 

Through  this  lesson  we  are  given  an  opportunity  to  teach 
that  there  is  a  place  in  God’s  house,  a  very  important  place, 
for  little  children.  Draw  attention  to  the  days  when  the 
babies  are  baptized  and  given  their  names.  Impress  upon 
the  minds  of  the  pupils  the  fact  that  this  means  that  the 
babies  are  given  to  God.  Tell  again  how  God  wants  the 
children  to  come  to  him ;  how  he  loves  them ;  how  he  watches 
over  them  from  the  heavenly  home. 

Tell  where  the  Temple  was,  and  describe  something  of  its 
beauty ;  tell  of  the  people’s  love  for  it. 

The  Story 

Four  weeks,  five  weeks,  nearly  six  weeks  had  passed  since 
that  wonderful  night  when  the  Baby  Jesus  was  born. 

His  mother  watched  over  him  and  loved  him  and  cared 
for  him.  She  looked  down  into  his  beautiful  face  and  knew 
that  he  was  the  dearest  Baby  in  all  the  world. 

Many  times  she  thought  of  the  night  when  the  shepherds 
came  to  see  him,  and  the  things  that  they  had  said  about  her 
Child. 

“  Dear  Baby,”  she  would  say  to  herself,  “  I  do  not  under¬ 
stand ;  but  this  I  know:  You  are  mine,  and  I  love  you.” 

One  day  when  the  Baby  was  between  five  and  six  weeks 
old,  Mary  dressed  little  Jesus  and  she  and  Joseph  took  him 
out  of  the  town  of  Bethlehem,  away  to  the  big  city  of  Jeru¬ 
salem. 

At  Jerusalem,  up  on  a  hill,  was  a  beautiful  building,  the 
most  beautiful  building  in  all  Palestine.  It  was  God’s  house, 
the  Temple.  It  was  made  of  white  stone  and  was  trimmed 
with  gold.  Even  its  doors  hung  on  golden  hinges. 

“We  will  take  our  Baby  to  God’s  house,  to-day,”  said 
Mary. 

They  passed  through  the  gates  of  the  city  and  climbed 
the  Temple  hill.  They  entered  the  court.  Mary  took  with 
her  a  gift  of  thanksgiving,  two  turtledoves. 

While  the  young  mother  was  there  with  her  Baby  in 
her  arms  an  old  man  came  in.  He  had  been  to  God’s  house 
a  great  many  times.  He  loved  the  Temple  better  than  any 
place  on  earth. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


157 


God  loved  this  good  old  man  and  had  made  him  a  very- 
wonderful  promise.  He  had  said  that  Simeon  should  not 
die  until  he  had  seen  the  Messiah,  the  new  King  that  should 
one  day  be  sent. 

Simeon  had  waited  and  waited  and  waited;  now  he  was 
a  very  old  man.  That  day  he  was  still  waiting  to  see  the 
Messiah. 

Presently  he  saw  the  little  Baby  in  his  mother’s  arms. 
His  face  lighted ;  he  hurried  to  them ;  he  looked  at  the  Baby 
and  then  took  him  in  his  arms. 

“  Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart,  Lord,”  he  said. 

Then  he  declared  that  this  was  the  promised  King,  the 
Messiah  who  was  to  bring  help  to  all  the  poor  people  who 
had  suffered  for  so  many,  many  years. 

Simeon  talked  with  Mary  and  with  Joseph  for  a  little 
while,  and  blessed  them ;  he  said  many  wonderful  things 
about  the  Baby  and  what  he  would  do  in  the  years  to  come. 

That  very  same  hour  while  Mary  and  Joseph  were  still 
in  the  Temple  an  old  woman  named  Anna  caught  sight  of 
the  lovely  Baby.  She  was  a  wise  woman ;  she  also  loved 
God’s  house.  She  spent  a  great  deal  of  her  time  in  the 
Temple. 

She  came  to  look  at  the  Baby,  and  then  gave  thanks  to 
God  for  leting  her  see  the  Messiah  who  had  come  to  save  the 
people. 

When  Mary  had  given  her  thanksgiving  offering  as  was 
the  custom,  she  and  Joseph  and  the  Baby  left  God’s  house. 
After  a  long  time  they  went  to  the  little  house  at  Nazareth. 

Little  Jesus  grew  stronger  as  the  days  and  the  months  and 
the  years  passed  on.  He  learned  to  help  Joseph  and  his 
mother ;  after  a  while  he  began  to  learn  to  read.  His  mother 
taught  him  verses  from  God’s  Word.  And  the  home  where 
he  lived  was  the  happiest  in  all  Nazareth,  for  he  was  its  Sun¬ 
shine. 


Devotionae  Service: 

A  BIBEE  READING  EESSON 

Verses  that  Jesus  Knew  and  Obeyed 

“  The  fear  of  Jehovah  is  the  beginning  of  knowledge;. . . 
“  My  son,  hear  the  instruction  of  thy  father, 


158 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


And  forsake  not  the  law  of  thy  mother:... 

My  son,  keep  the  commandment  of  thy  father, 

And  forsake  not  the  law  of  thy  mother : 

Bind  them  continually  upon  thy  heart ; 

Tie  them  about  thy  neck. 

When  thou  walkest,  it  shall  lead  thee ; 

When  thou  sleepest,  it  shall  watch  over  thee ; 

And  when  thou  awakest,  it  shall  talk  with  thee. 

For  the  commandment  is  a  lamp;  and  the  law  is  light.” 

— Proverbs  1:7,  8  ;  6 :20-23a. 

prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  thy  house  and  that 
there  is  always  a  place  there  for  little  children.  Help  us  to 
find  Jesus  there  and  to  know  him.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Take  special  care  of  little  baby  sister  or  brother  or  play¬ 
mate  all  this  week  for  Jesus’  sake. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


159 


Come,  praise  H>our  Xorfc  ant>  Saviour 


W.  W.  How  St.  Gall’s  Coll. 


^t^-4  — i-P 

— I  -i— .  —1 

— 1 - — 1 - -±- 

-^5-j 

-l 

— 1 — 

01 - 

iU-l 

w- 

— ^  20 - 1 - * - -#! — 

|= 

“  Ci  1 

— U=— 1 — — | — — 

r^r 

—W - 

- 

 0 

1.  Come,  praise  your  Lord  and 

Sav  -  iour,  In 

strains  of 

ho  - 

ly  mirth! 

2.  0 

Je  -  sus,  we  would 

praise  thee  With  songs  of 

ho  - 

ly  . 

joy; 

3.  0 

Lord,  with  voic  -  es 

lift  -  ed  We 

sing  our  songs  of  praise; 

F>:  ->  4  »  - 

J  -Tj_i  * 

1 - 1 - r  w  m 

Ff  *  1  r 

n* 

• 

- 

-m- — 

-m — 

LiL - 1=  heH 

tip — p 

P— 

pT-v.  J 

Give  thanks  to  him,  0  chil  -  dren,  Who  lived  a  Child  on  earth; 

For  thou  on  earth  didst  so  -  journ  A  pure  and  spotiess  Boy. 

Be  thou  the  Light  and  Pat  -  tern  Of  all  our  childhood’s  days; 


He  loved  the  lit  -  tie  chil  -  dren,  And  called  them  to  his  side, 
Make  us  like  thee,  o  -  be  -  dient,  Like  thee  from  sin  stains  free, 
And  lead  us  ev  -  er  on  -  ward,  That  while  we  stay  be  -  low 


-H 

- ) - - ! — - 

— 1 - 1 - : - 1 - 1 — 

— r 

- 1— ■- — 1 - 1  -i—i 

r  -1 - n 

-  xj  -* 

f=d 

- W* - JP - — 1 - 1 - ^ 

Lh  * 

r-cr" 

:..s^  > : : 

His 

lov  -  ing  arms  em  - 

braced  them  And 

for  their  sake  he 

died. 

Like 

thee  in  God’s  own 

tem  -  pie, 

In 

low  -  ly  home  like 

thee. 

We 

may,  like  thee,  0 

Je  -  sus, 

In 

grace  and  wis-dom  grow. 

(<•>:.  h-J  - 

J  * 

— 1-  1 — F  »  t — 

Ff-  -*H 

— * — 

p 

m  f  ■  f-f 

r  f-  * 

— 1 - P — — h- - m — 

L  P 

t- p= 

-F- 

h= — 1 — =b - td 

P.  T. 


From  “The  Hymnal.” 


CHAPTER  XVII 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

THE  STORY  OF  A  JOURNEY 
Matthew  2 :13-1 5,  19-23  ;  Luke  2 :39,  40 

Memory  Verse 

“  The  child  grew.” — Luke  2  :40. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

An  old  writer  in  describing  the  tyrant  who  ruled  over 
Palestine  at  the  time  of  the  birth  of  Jesus  says,  “  It  would 
have  been  better  to  be  Herod’s  pig  than  his  son.”  He  was 
an  ambitious  man,  and  was  willing  to  accomplish  his  ends 
by  means  of  the  foulest  deeds  that  his  mind  could  devise. 
His  whole  life  was  tainted  with  the  blood  of  those  who  were 
in  the  way  of  his  selfish  desire  for  progress  or  those  who 
he  supposed  could  thwart  him.  Even  his  own  family  did 
not  escape  his  wicked  power :  he  ordered  his  brother-in-law 
to  be  drowned  before  his  eyes ;  he  arranged  that  his  beauti¬ 
ful  wife  Mariamne  be  strangled  to  death;  he  became  afraid 
of  some  of  his  own  sons  and  had  them  killed ;  he  brought 
about  the  death  of  his  intimate  friends.  The  murders  which 
he  perpetrated  were  accomplished  in  the  most  fiendish  man¬ 
ner.  Life  in  Palestine  was  sad  and  miserable  during  the 
the  tyranny  of  this  usurper  who  seemed  to  have  such  a  pas¬ 
sion  for  shedding  blood. 

He  ordered  the  Wise  Men  to  return  to  tell  him  of  their 
success  in  tracing  the  newborn  King  under  the  friendly  pre¬ 
tense  of  also  paying  him  honor.  Probably  the  men  knew  the 
character  of  the  far-famed  Herod,  and  mistrusted  his  sin¬ 
cerity.  Moreover  we  are  told  in  the  Bible  that  they  were 
warned  by  God  not  to  return,  but  to  go  to  their  homes  by 
another  way. 

Then  followed  the  edict  of  the  monster:  All  children  in 
the  kingdom  under  two  years  of  age  were  to  be  slain. 


160 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


161 


God  warned  Joseph  in  a  dream,  and,  knowing  full  well  the 
danger,  he  made  an  immediate  departure  in  the  night  to 
Egypt.  This  land  was  under  another  ruler,  and  was  near 
enough  to  reach  in  time  to  save  the  Baby’s  life. 

None  of  the  details  of  Herod’s  life,  of  course,  should  be 
told  to  the  children,  and  a  very  slight  mention  should  be 
made  of  the  edict. 


The:  Story 

An  old,  old  king  sat  in  his  palace  thinking.  His  face 
was  very  ugly  because  he  was  thinking  ugly  thoughts,  and 
that  always  makes  a  face  look  hard  and  mean  and  cruel. 

He  had  been  a  bad  king  all  his  life.  He  had  been  cruel 
and  selfish  to  his  people.  He  had  taken  away  the  wealth  of 
the  rich ;  he  had  even  taken  money  from  the  poor  of  his 
land. 

He  had  cast  into  prison  those  who  had  done  no  wrong. 
He  had  taken  away  the  lives  of  those  who  had  been  his 
friends.  He  hated  his  people,  and  his  people  hated  him. 

This  old  king’s  name  was  Herod,  and  he  was  the  same 
whom  the  Wise  Men  had  come  to  visit  while  they  were  look¬ 
ing  for  the  little  newborn  King.  They  had  come  to  ask 
Herod  about  the  Baby. 

“  A  newborn  King !  ”  he  said  to  himself  over  and  over 
again.  “  Those  strangers  spoke  of  a  newborn  King !  They 
said  they  had  seen  his  star  in  the  east  and  had  come  to 
worship  him.  Could  there  have  been  any  truth  in  their 
story?  I  wonder!”  And  so  Herod  thought  and  thought 
and  thought. 

“  I’ll  put  a  stop  to  all  this  talk  about  a  newborn  baby 
King,”  thought  Herod.  Then  he  did  a  very  wicked  thing. 
He  sent  an  order  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of 
his  land  that  all  the  little  boy  babies  under  two  years  old 
should  be  killed. 

Over  in  the  house  where  Joseph  and  Mary  were  now  liv¬ 
ing,  Mary  was  taking  care  of  her  little  Baby  Jesus  and 
watching  him  grow  sweeter  and  stronger  every  day. 

She  and  Joseph  talked  often  about  the  shepherds  that 
came  that  wonderful  night  that  the  Baby  was  born  and  the 
things  that  they  had  said.  They  often  looked  at  the  gifts 


162 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


that  the  Wise  Men  brought,  the  gold  and  the  frankincense 
and  the  myrrh. 

“  The  Wise  Men  knelt  down  before  my  Baby,”  thought 
Mary.  “  Truly  my  Baby  is  very  dear  and  wonderful.” 
Then  she  would  ponder  about  the  things  that  had  happened. 

One  night  Mary  put  her  Baby  to  bed  and  all  the  little 
household  in  Bethlehem  had  gone  to  rest  as  usual. 

Suddenly  Joseph  woke  up  in  a  fright.  He  had  had  a 
strange  dream.  Part  of  it  was  very  terrible,  and  part  of  it 
was  very  comforting.  The  comforting  part  was  a  message 
from  God  telling  Joseph  just  what  to  do. 

“  Mary !”  he  said.  “  The  Baby  is  in  great  danger !  God 
has  warned  me  in  a  dream !  The  Baby  is  not  safe !” 

Mary’s  face  grew  full  of  trouble  as  she  listened. 

“  The  King  is  seeking  to  find  him !  Herod  !  He  will  kill 
him  if  he  finds  him !” 

Joseph’s  eyes  flashed  with  anger  when  he  thought  of  what 
the  cruel  king  would  do.  Mary  caught  her  Baby  to  her 
breast. 

“  Come.  We  cannot  stay  here !  Our  home  is  safe  no 
longer.  We  have  not  a  minute  to  lose !  We  will  hurry 
away  in  the  night !  We  will  get  out  of  Herod’s  land.  Come  ! 
God  has  warned  me  in  this  dream ;  he  has  told  me  what  to 
do.” 

They  did  not  waste  a  minute.  Quietly  Mary  made  ready 
for  a  journey.  She  could  not  have  taken  much  with  her, 
for  the  Baby  was  all  she  could  carry. 

Joseph  fitted  her  upon  a  donkey  which  he  brought,  and 
then  they  started  away  in  the  darkness. 

They  left  the  little  town  of  Bethlehem  behind ;  on,  on  they 
rode  as  quickly  and  quietly  as  possible. 

By  and  by  the  land  became  very  different  from  the  hills 
and  meadows  round  Bethlehem ;  the  road  was  waste,  like 
a  desert.  It  was  harder  to  travel.  But  Joseph  and  Mary  did 
not  stop  because  they  were  tired. 

“  King  Herod  shall  not  find  my  Baby !”  said  Mary.  “  He 
shall  not  get  him !”  and  she  held  him  very  close  in  her  arms. 

“No!  Herod  shall  not  kill  this  Child,”  answered  Joseph 
very  soberly. 

Then  they  thought  of  the  shepherds’  visit  and  what  they 
had  said.  They  thought  of  what  Simeon,  the  old  man  in  the 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


163 


Temple,  had  told  them.  They  remembered  the  words  of 
Anna,  the  old  woman  who  had  also  told  them  that  the  Baby 
would  do  wonderful  things  for  the  people  in  the  years  to 
come. 

“  It  is  God’s  will  that  this  Child  should  live,”  said  Joseph. 
“  Herod  shall  not  get  him !” 

By  and  by  they  came  to  another  land,  called  Egypt. 

“  King  Herod’s  land  is  behind  us!”  exclaimed  Joseph. 

“  We  are  safe !”  breathed  Mary.  “  Thank  God  for  keep¬ 
ing  the  Baby  safe !” 

“  Yes,  we  are  safe!  God  has  helped  us!”  said  Joseph. 

Joseph  and  Mary  and  the  Baby  stayed  in  Egypt  just  as 
long  as  God  wanted  them  to  stay;  indeed,  they  lived  there 
until  King  Herod  died.  God  then  told  Joseph  in  another 
dream  to  go  back  and  live  in  their  own  country  again. 

Then  Joseph  said,  “  Let  us  go  to  Nazareth.” 

Nazareth  was  the  town  where  Joseph  and  Mary  had  lived 
before  Jesus  was  born.  Mary  thought  of  the  pretty,  white 
houses  covered  with  vines ;  she  thought  of  the  lovely 
orchards  of  olive  and  orange  trees ;  the  flowers  she  had 
picked  when  she  was  a  little  girl.  “  Yes,  let  us  take  little 
Jesus  there.” 

So  they  went  to  Nazareth,  and  Joseph  found  a  house.  Lit¬ 
tle  Jesus  grew.  Mary  taught  him  to  say  her  name ;  she 
taught  him  to  say  a  little  prayer  to  God,  his  heavenly  Father. 

Joseph  was  a  carpenter  and  by  and  by  the  little  Boy  was 
old  enough  to1  be  with  him  when  he  worked.  Joseph  was 
glad  when  Jesus  was  old  enough  to  hold  the  nails,  or  to 
find  the  hammer  or  some  other  tool  that  he  needed. 

His  mother  told  him  stories  from  the  Bible.  She  told 
him  about  the  shepherds  and  the  Wise  Men  who  came  to 
visit  him  when  he  was  a  tiny  Baby ;  she  told  him  about  the 
star  and  the  angels’  song.  And  each  year  the  little  Boy 
grew  he  became  a  greater  help  to  his  mother  and  to  Joseph 
in  the  carpenter  shop. 

Devotionae  Service 
A  BIBLE  READING  BESSON 

(Explain  to  the  children  that  Jesus  heard  these  words  read 
in  his  home  when  he  was  a  little  boy.) 


164 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  Hear  my  prayer,  O  Jehovah, 

And  let  my  cry  come  unto  thee. 

Hide  not  thy  face  from  me  in  the  day  of  my  distress: 
Incline  thine  ear  unto  me; 

In  the  day  when  I  call  answer  me  speedily.” 

— Psalm  102:1,  2. 

“Oh  give  thanks  unto  Jehovah,  call  upon  his  name; 
Make  known  among  the  peoples  his  doings. 

Sing  unto  him,  sing  praises  unto  him ; 

Talk  ye  of  all  his  marvellous  works.” 

— Psalm  105  :1,  2. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  the  story  of  how 
jesus  was  saved  from  a  cruel  King.  We  thank  thee  that 
thou  dost  take  care  of  the  children  to-day  when  they  are  in 
danger,  and  always.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Copy  one  of  the  Bible  Reading  verses. 

Learn  one  or  more  of  the  Bible  Reading  verses  during  the 
week. 

Begin  the  making  of  a  class  scrapbook  for  some  special 
little  child  who  is  an  invalid  or  a  shut-in;  or  for  some  hos¬ 
pital.  Help  the  pupils  to  make  a  good  collection  of  pictures 
and  to  do  well  the  cutting  and  mounting.  This  work  may 
continue  over  a  period  of  several  weeks. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  BOY  JESUS  VISITS  JERUSALEM 

Luke  2:41-52 
Memory  Verse 

“  Jesus  advanced  in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in  favor  with 
God  and  men.” — Luke  2 :52. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS  165 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Just  enough  is  told  of  the  life  of  Jesus  after  these  few 
wonderful  glimpses  of  the  Baby  to  know  that  he  grew  each 
day  as  other  children  grow,  unfolding  physically  and  men¬ 
tally,  yet  sweeter,  and  more  holy.  He  was  obedient  to  his 
earthly  parents,  and  must  have  been  a  favorite  amongst  his 
playmates  and  the  townspeople  of  Nazareth. 

A  Jewish  boy  became  a  student  of  God’s  Word  at  the  age 
of  five,  and  Jesus  “  advanced  in  wisdom.” 

We  can  picture  the  life  of  the  little  Boy  in  the  humble 
home  at  Nazareth.  Mary,  the  mother,  would  perform  the 
daily  routine  of  the  house:  rolling  and  unrolling  the  hand- 
woven  rugs  for  the  family  beds ;  grinding  the  corn  and  pre¬ 
paring  the  simple  food ;  gathering  the  fruit  from  the  garden 
or  buying  it  from  the  dealers;  making  the  home  fresh  and 
clean.  In  all  these  duties  her  little  Son  would  surely  be  a 
help  when  she  appealed  to  him. 

Each  year  in  the  springtime,  late  March  or  early  April, 
Joseph  would  make  the  journey  of  about  eighty  miles  to 
Jerusalem  to  attend  the  passover,  and  Mary  would  accom¬ 
pany  him. 

The  twelfth  passover  after  the  birth  of  Jesus  was  a  most 
important  event  in  the  little  family,  for  Jesus  was  to  ac¬ 
company  them  for  the  first  time,  as  was  the  custom.  Jesus 
was  twelve  years  old !  This  lesson  is  a  story  of  the  occasion 
and  of  what  happened. 

For  facts  concerning  the  passover  and  its  significance  to 
the  Jewish  people  read  Exodus  12:1-20  regarding  its  in¬ 
stitution,  and  Numbers  9:1-3  regarding  its  observance. 

The  Story 

It  was  springtime,  and  the  fig  and  olive  trees  in  the  gar¬ 
dens  of  Nazareth  were  green  and  beautiful  again.  Flowers 
were  beginning  to  bloom  along  the  roadside,  on  the  hills, 
and  in  the  meadows.  The  birds  were  building  their  nests. 

Joseph  and  Mary  were  making  ready  to  go  to  the  pass- 
over  feast  in  Jerusalem. 

Each  year  they  went  in  the  springtime  to  the  great  feast, 
but  this  year  was  a  very  special  year.  Jesus  was  going 


166 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


with  them !  He  was  twelve  years  old,  and  when  a  boy  was 
twelve  he  could  go  to  the  feast  with  his  parents. 

Jesus  was  a  very  little  Boy  when  first  he  had  begun  to 
listen  to  the  stories  which  his  mother  liked  to  tell  him.  She 
told  him  about  the  boy  Joseph  and  his  coat  of  many  colors; 
and  about  the  baby  Moses  who  slept  in  his  basket  amongst 
the  reeds  in  the  river ;  about  David  and  the  giant,  and  many 
other  stories  which  you,  too,  have  heard. 

But  I  am  quite  sure  that  the  stories  which  she  liked 
best  to  tell  and  to  which  he  liked  be$t  to  listen  were  about 
the  coming  of  the  shepherds  to  visit  him  while  he  lay,  a  tiny 
Baby,  in  his  manger  cradle  at  Bethlehem.  She  would  tell 
him,  too,  about  those  first  birthday  presents  that  were  given 
to  him  by  the  Wise  Men  who  came  from  their  far-away 
lands  to  bring  them  tO'  him. 

And  now  you  are  twelve  years  old,  Son !  My  Boy  is 
twelve  years  old !”  Mary  would  say  very  proudly. 

Joseph,  too,  was  proud  of  his  Boy  who  was  now  so  tall 
and  straight  and  good  to  look  upon.  He  would  say  to  Jesus : 
“You  shall  go  with  us  to  the  passover  feast  this  year,  my 
Boy.  You  now  are  old  enough  to  go  with  your  mother  and 
with  me.’’ 

So  they  left  their  home  one  spring  day,  and  began  their 
journey  to  the  big  city  of  Jerusalem,  which  was  eighty  miles 
away. 

Probably  Joseph  pointed  out  the  sights  to  Jesus  as  they 
traveled  along  the  road.  He  told  him  the  names  of  the 
places  and  about  the  great  men  who  lived  there. 

I  think  that  Mary  may  have  told  him  to  look  at  the  lovely 
spring  flowers  that  were  beginning  to  bloom,  and  perhaps 
her  Son  gathered  some  of  the  blossoms  for  her. 

It  took  several  days  to  reach  Jerusalem,  so  when  night¬ 
time  came  they  would  rest  until  morning  and  then  travel  on 
again. 

At  last  they  drew  near  their  journey’s  end.  “See,  Son! 
There  are  the  gates !  There  is  the  golden  roof !  Is  it  not 
beautiful?”  Mary  and  Joseph  must  have  said  something 
like  this. 

Mary  remembered  the  day  twelve  years  before  when  she 
carried  her  little  Boy  in  her  arms  into  that  same  great  build- 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


167 


ing.  She  had  told  him  all  about  it  many  times.  Now  he  was 
going  there  himself. 

The  roads  grew  more  crowded  as  they  drew  near  the  city 
gates.  Thousands  of  other  people  were  going  to  the  feast: 
old  men  and  old  women;  strong  men,  rich  men,  poor  men. 
There  were  also  other  boys  of  twelve  who,  like  Jesus,  were 
coming  with  their  parents  for  the  first  time. 

Merchantmen  were  selling  wares  in  the  streets  to  the 
travelers.  Noise  and  excitement  were  everywhere. 

When  they  reached  the  Temple,  they  walked  up  the  mar¬ 
ble  steps.  Jesus  watched  everything  that  the  white-robed 
priests  did  as  they  moved  to  and  fro  about  their  work. 

When  the  people  prayed  to  God,  Jesus  also  prayed.  He 
listened  to  all  the  learned  men  as  they  talked  together  on 
the  great  porch  in  front  of  the  Temple. 

By  and  by,  when  the  holiday  was  over,  the  people  began  to 
start  for  their  homes  again.  Groups  of  mothers  talked  to¬ 
gether  as  they  traveled  along;  they  spoke  of  their  homes, 
their  weaving,  their  children,  and  all  that  they  had  seen  in 
the  city. 

The  fathers  walked  in  groups  and  talked  about  the  holiday 
and  about  what  they  were  going  to  do  when  they  reached 
home. 

Joseph  and  Mary  had  gone  about  a  day’s  journey  toward 
home  when  they  discovered  that  Jesus  was  not  in  the  com¬ 
pany. 

“  Where  is  Jesus?”  Mary  asked  Joseph  when  he  joined 

her. 

“  I  thought  that  he  was  with  you,”  answered  Joseph.  “  Is 
he  not  with  you,  Mary  ?” 

“  No,”  answered  Mary  anxiously.  “  I  thought  that  he 
was  with  you.” 

“  He  is  not  with  me,”  said  Joseph. 

Then  they  looked  all  round,  but  Jesus  was  nowhere  to  be 
found. 

“Our  Boy  is  lost!”  they  exclaimed.  They  hurried  from 
one  group  of  friends  to  another,  asking :  “  Have  you  seen 
our  Boy?  We  do  not  know  where  he  is.”  But  no  one 
could  tell  them  where  Jesus  was. 

“  We  will  go  back  to  the  city,”  said  Joseph. 

“  Oh,  yes,  let  us  go  back  to  Jerusalem,”  said  Mary. 


168 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


So  with  sober,  anxious  faces  they  went  back,  looking 
through  every  group  that  they  met,  and  asking,  “  Have  you 
seen  our  Jesus?” 

They  reached  Jerusalem  again,  and  hurried  to  the  Temple. 
There  a  strange  sight  met  their  eyes.  Jesus,  the  twelve- 
year-old  Boy,  was  seated  with  a  group  of  very  learned, 
elderly  men  who  were  talking  earnestly  over  some  deep 
questions  about  God’s  Taw,  and  about  the  heavenly  home. 

They  were  also  talking  about  the  coming  of  the  Saviour 
who  had  been  promised. 

Jesus  was  listening.  His  face  was  bright  and  glowing, 
and  he  understood  a  great  deal  that  the  men  were  saying; 
sometimes  he  asked  a  very  wise  question. 

All  the  men  wondered  at  the  twelve-year-old  Boy  and 
his  questions. 

His  mother  saw  him.  She  ran  to  him,  and  clasped  him 
in  her  arms. 

Then  she  said  a  little  sorrowfully :  “  Son,  why  hast  thou 
done  this?  we  have  searched  for  thee  three  days.  We  were 
worried  and  troubled,  dear  Child.” 

Jesus  answered,  “  Mother,  didst  thou  not  remember  that 
I  must  be  about  my  Father’s  work?” 

Mary’s  Boy  was  growing  up;  he  was  beginning  to  under¬ 
stand  the  work  that  God,  his  Father,  had  sent  him  to  earth 
to  do. 

Together  they  all  went  back  to  Nazareth,  and  Jesus  be¬ 
came  more  and  more  helpful  to  his  mother  and  to  Joseph 
as  he  worked  at  his  trade  in  the  carpenter  shop. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

Verses  that  Jesus  Learned  About  God’s  House 

“  I  was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me, 

Let  us  go  unto  the  house  of  Jehovah. 

Our  feet  are  standing 
Within  thy  gates,  O  Jerusalem, 

Jerusalem,  that  art  builded 

As  a  city  that  is  compact  together ; . . . 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


169 


They  shall  prosper  that  love  thee. 

Peace  be  within  thy  walls, 

And  prosperity  within  thy  palaces.” 

— Selected  from  Psalm  122. 

prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  show  us  how  to  be  obedient  to  our 
parents  and  helpful  in  our  homes,  following  the  example  of 
Jesus.  Make  us  glad  to  go  to  thy  house,  as  he  was  glad. 
Lead  us  to  be  attentive,  and  to  understand  the  messages  that 
we  hear.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Copy  one  or  more  of  the  verses  from  the  Bible  Reading 
Lesson. 

Write  two  or  more  original  sentences  about  the  first  time 
that  Jesus  went  to  the  passover  feast  with  his  parents. 
Mount  one  or  more  pictures  in  the  scrapbook. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

JESUS  AND  FOUR  FISHERMEN 
Luke  5:1-11 

Memory  Verse 

“  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  .  . .  who  went  about  doing  good.” 

— Acts  10:38 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

This  is  an  opening  lesson  of  a  study  with  the  children 
about  Jesus’  work  while  he  lived  upon  earth.  One  of  the 
beautiful  things  about  Jesus’  ministry  was  that  it  gave  help 
and  joy  and  peace.  It  was  a  ministry  of  light,  repellent  of 
everything  dark,  unhappy,  and  sordid.  His  whole  life  was 
spent  in  giving  relief. 

He  lived  with  people  and  showed  that  he  loved  companion¬ 
ship.  His  desire  was  to  teach  people  how  to  dwell  together 
peacefully,  unselfishly,  happily. 

Twelve  men  were  chosen  to  help  him  in  this  beautiful 
work,  and  to-day’s  lesson  tells  the  story  of  the  calling  of 
the  first  four  who  were  to  share  his  labors  and  were,  during 
the  few  years  that  were  to  be  spent  on  earth  by  him,  to  be 
specially  near  and  dear  to  him. 

The  place  that  Jesus  selected  as  his  home  center  during 
the  early  part  of  his  ministry  was  Capernaum.  It  was  a 
fine,  busy  town  on  the  northwestern  shore  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee  or  the  Lake  of  Gennesaret,  as  the  beautiful  inland 
body  of  water  is  also  called.  It  was  a  spot  of  great  love¬ 
liness.  In  all  Palestine  there  were  no  more  beautiful  gar¬ 
dens.  Fig,  olive,  and  palm  trees  grew  in  abundance.  The 
meadows  and  hillsides  were  dotted  with  flowers.  The  grass 
was  peculiarly  green.  Little  rivulets  flowed  down  the  hills 
into  the  lake,  and  fed  it.  The  blue  waters  of  Galilee  were 

170 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


171 


full  of  fish,  and  the  white-sailing  boats  of  the  fishermen 
were  constantly  to  be  seen  floating  up  and  down  upon  the 
waters  or  moored  to  the  shores.  Such  was  the  background 
of  Jesus’  ministry. 

Andrew  and  Peter  were  the  sons  of  a  fisherman  named 
Jonas  who  dwelt  first  in  Bethsaida,  another  town  situated 
on  the  lake,  and  afterwards  at  Capernaum. 

Jonas  had  a  partner  named  Zebedee.  This  man  also  had 
two  strong  sons  named  James  and  John.  These  men  with 
their  servants  probably  had  a  successful  business  catching 
the  silvery  fish  from  the  sea  and  selling  them  to  the  near-by 
towns. 

At  the  time  of  this  lesson  Andrew  and  Peter  and  James 
and  John  already  knew  Jesus  and  loved  him.  Peter  had 
been  brought  to  Jesus  by  his  brother  Andrew.  It  is  thought 
that  John  was  the  disciple  of  John  the  Baptist  who  heard 
him  say  of  Jesus,  “Behold,  the  Lamb  of  God!”  and  who 
then  went  to  follow  Jesus.  It  is  also  thought  that  John  was 
the  younger  brother  of  James,  and  that  their  mother  was 
Salome,  a  sister  of  Mary  the  mother  of  Jesus. 

At  this  previous  time  Andrew  went  and  told  his  brother, 
Simon  (Peter)  about  Jesus. 

Jesus  had  been  healing  the  sick  and  teaching  the  people 
that  day,  and  had  tired  his  body  bringing  the  joyful  mes¬ 
sage  and  doing  the  good  that  he  had  come  to  do.  Crowds 
had  come  to  him,  and  in  order  to  procure  space  for  himself, 
he  stood  in  one  of  the  boats  which  was  put  out  just  a  little 
from  the  land.  We  can  well  imagine  how  the  thoughts  of 
the  four  young  men  traveled  to  the  Man  whom  John  the 
Baptist  had  pointed  out,  and  who  now  in  their  very  midst 
was  beginning  his  work. 

Suggestions  lor  Teaching 

You  may  wish  to  introduce  a  bit  of  “  beginning  geogra¬ 
phy  ”  with  this  lesson.  The  sand  table  will  be  a  help.  A 
shallow  oval-shaped  dish  or  tin  may  be  sunk  into  the  sand 
and  filled  with  water.  The  western  shore  may  be  properly 
shaped  by  the  teacher  with  clay  or  plasticine.  Locate  Ca¬ 
pernaum,  and  also  indicate  the  hills  and  mountains  of  the 
surrounding  country. 


172 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Emphasize  the  beauty  with  which  Jesus'  home  city 
abounded,  and  which  he  loved :  the  clear,  blue  waters ;  the 
boundless  skies ;  the  trees  and  countless  flowers ;  the  pebbly 
shores ;  the  fishermen’s  cottages ;  the  little  sailboats. 

Teach  the  name  of  the  city  which  Jesus  chose  as  his 
home,  and  the  name  of  the  sea  upon  which  it  was  situated. 
Write  the  names  “  Capernaum  ”  and  Galilee  ”  upon  the 


blackboard,  and  have  the  pupils  recognize  and  pronounce 
them. 

A  map  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  its  environs  is  given  here. 

Application  stories  will  be  needed  with  this  series  of 
lessons,  and  several  will  be  furnished  to  help  to  illustrate 
ways  in  which  we  may  follow  Jesus’  example  as  he  “  went 
about  doing  good.”  Tell  these  to  the  children  at  times  when 
your  lessons  may  be  short. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


173 


Before:  the  Lesson 

Ask  the  following  questions  of  the  pupils  and  see  that 
they  thoroughly  know  the  answers : 

What  was  the  name  of  the  little  town  where  Jesus  was 
born? 

What  was  the  name  of  the  little  town  where  Jesus  lived 
when  he  was  a  boy? 


The  Story 

Jesus  had  quite  a  good  many  birthdays  in  the  little  house 
at  Nazareth,  and  each  birthday  found  him  taller  and  stronger 
and  wiser.  Then,  before  Mary  could  really  believe  it  true, 
her  Boy  was  a  Man. 

A  number  of  miles  away  from  Nazareth  there  was  a 
beautiful  sea.  The  waters  were  clear  and  blue  on  a  fair 
day,  and  the  little  waves  lapped  over  a  pebbly  beach. 

Many  fishermen  lived  along  this  sea,  and  made  their  liv¬ 
ing  by  catching  the  fish  and  selling  them.  The  sails  of  their 
ships  could  always  be  seen  on  a  sunny  day  bobbing  up  and 
down  as  they  rode  over  the  waters. 

The  name  of  one  of  the  towns  built  along  this  sea  was 
Capernaum.  It  was  a  busy,  beautiful  city. 

Jesus  loved  beautiful  things:  he  loved  the  sea  and  the 
sky  and  the  pebbly  shore.  He  loved  comfortable  houses 
with  pretty  gardens  of  flowers  and  fruit  trees  round  about 
them.  When  he  grew  to  be  a  Man  he  chose  Capernaum  to 
be  his  home  city. 

Now  there  were  two  elderly  men  who  lived  Hear  the  Sea 
of  Galilee ;  they  were  fishermen. 

The  name  of  one  of  these  men  was  Jonas  and  he  had  two 
sons,  Andrew  and  Simon.  The  name  of  the  other  old  man 
was  Zebedee,  and  he,  too,  had  two  sons,  James  and  John. 

The  old  fishermen  were  partners  and  they  and  their  sons 
worked  together.  They  had  boats  and  nets  and  hooks  and 
baskets  and  all  sorts  of  things  that  fishermen  need.  Zebedee 

also  had  servants  to  help  him. 

Many  and  many  a  time  the  men  had  come  in  from  the  sea 
with  their  boats  loaded  with  silvery  fish  which  they  would 

sell. 

The  sons  knew  Jesus.  Andrew  and  John  first  had  seen 


174 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


him  down  by  the  river  Jordan,  and  had  loved  him  at  first 
sight.  Andrew  told  his  brother  Simon  about  Jesus.  Since 
then  they  often  had  talked  about  the  new  Friend. 

Good  fishermen  know  that  night  is  often  the  best  time 
to  fish.  So  one  night  Simon  and  Andrew  and  James  and 
John  went  out  to  sea. 

They  worked  all  night,  but  they  had  no  success.  In 
the  dim  light  of  the  dawning  day  they  came  back  to  shore, 
tired  and  discouraged  and  with  no  fish. 

They  moored  their  boats  on  the  beach,  and  began  to 
wash  and  mend  their  nets,  and  make  ready  for  another 
trip. 

Now  Jesus  had  begun  the  work  that  he  had  come  to  earth 
to  do.  All  the  day  before  he  had  been  healing  the  sick  and 
telling  the  people  about  the  love  of  God. 

Crowds  came  to  get  help  from  him  and  to  listen  to  his 
words. 

He  grew  tired,  and  came  out  in  the  early  morning  to  rest, 
but  the  people  would  not  let  him  alone.  He  saw  Peter’s  boat 
and  asked  him  to  lend  it  to  him. 

Jesus  stepped  in  and  used  it  like  a  pulpit.  He  talked  to 
the  people  again. 

After  the  talk  was  over,  he  looked  at  the  four  disappointed 
fishermen  and  was  sorry  for  them. 

“  Launch  out  into  deep  water,  and  let  down  your  nets 
for  a  draft,”  he  said  to  Simon. 

“  Master,  we  have  toiled  all  night,  and  have  caught  noth¬ 
ing,”  answered  Simon.  “  But  because  you  ask  it,  I  will 
let  down  the  nets.” 

So  they  went  out  into  deeper  water,  and  let  down  the 
nets,  and  a  wonderful  thing  happened ;  it  was  not  long  be¬ 
fore  they  became  very  full  and  began  to  break.  Peter 
and  his  brother  Andrew  could  not  manage  alone. 

He  beckoned  to  James  and  John.  “  Come  and  help  us,” 
he  called. 

James  and  John  came,  and  together  the  four  men  filled 
both  ships  with  the  wonderful  catch  of  fish.  The  boats  were 
so  heavy  that  they  began  to'  sink. 

Simon  fell  at  Jesus’  feet.  “  I  am  not  worthy  to  be  near 
thee,”  he  said.  “  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O  Lord.”  He  knew 
that  it  was  the  Messiah  whom  he  had  carried  in  his  ship. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


175 


The  three  other  men  were  also  amazed  at  the  wonderful 
thing  that  Jesus  did. 

Jesus  had  a  reason  for  performing  this  wonder.  He 
wanted  to  teach  the  four  fishermen  a  lesson ;  then  he  wanted 
them  to  come  with  him  and  follow  him  and  to  help  him  with 
his  work. 

He  turned  to  Simon  and  said,  “  Fear  not;  from  henceforth 
thou  shalt  catch  men.” 

Jesus  meant  that  Simon  and  Andrew  and  James  and  John 
were  to  help  him  to  win  people  for  the  Kingdom  of  heaven. 
He  would  show  them  how  to  do  it.  He  had  chosen  them  to 
be  his  followers. 

From  that  day  they  were  to  be  called  Jesus'  disciples. 
To  be  a  disciple  of  Jesus  means  to  go  with  him  and  learn  of 
him,  and  try  to  follow  his  example. 

Simon  and  Andrew  and  James  and  John  brought  their 
ships  to  the  land.  Then  they  left  everything  to  follow  Jesus. 

(Write  the  names  of  the  first  four  disciples  upon  the 
blackboard.  Let  the  children  repeat  the  names  several 
times.) 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

Words  that  Jesus  Spoke 

“  Blessed  are  ye  poor :  for  yours  is  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Blessed  are  ye  that  hunger  now :  for  ye  shall  be  filled. 

Blessed  are  ye  that  weep  now :  for  ye  shall  laugh. 

Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  hate  you,  and  when  they 
shall  separate  you  from  their  company,  and  reproach  you, 
and  cast  out  your  name  as  evil,  for  the  Son  of  man's  sake.” 

—Luke  6:20-22. 


prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  sending  thy  Son 
to  help  the  poor,  the  sick,  and  the  unhappy.  We  thank  thee 
that  we,  too,  may  go  to  him  when  we  are  unhappy  and  need 
help.  Amen. 


176 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  an  imaginary  picture  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  the 
city  of  Capernaum  on  the  sand  table. 

Cut  out  miniature  ships  from  paper. 

Try  to  bring  in  one  new  pupil  to  Sunday  school.  (Fish¬ 
ers.) 


Blackboard  Sketch 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

JESUS  AND  A  BLIND  MAN 
Luke  18:35-43;  Mark  10:46-52 
Memory  Verse 

“  He  received  his  sight,  and  followed  him,  glorifying 
God.” 

— Luke  18:43. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

This  incident  occurred  during  the  journey  of  Jesus  and 
his  disciples  to  the  passover  celebration  while  on  the  road  to 
Jericho,  and  thence  to  Jerusalem. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


177 


Jericho  was  one  of  the  finest  cities  of  Palestine.  It  was 
located  in  a  lovely  oasis  watered  by  springs.  It  was  some¬ 
times  called  the  city  of  roses,  and  also  the  city  of  palm  trees. 
It  was  one  of  the  fragrant  garden  spots  of  earth  at  that  time. 
Its  fig  trees  and  date  trees  were  noted  throughout  the  land. 
Grain  ripened  earlier  here  than  in  other  parts  of  the  country. 
Bees  hovered  over  the  sweet  flowers  and  made  their  nectar 
into  honey. 

The  roofs  and  towers  of  the  castles  of  royalty  and  the 
mansions  of  the  wealthy  who  had  chosen  this  Eden  for  their 
habitation  peeped  above  the  trees  amongst  the  groves  and 
gardens  where  they  had  been  situated. 

Herod  the  Great  had  built  a  castle  here.  This  was  plun¬ 
dered  and  burned  at  the  time  of  his  death ;  but  Archelaus 
had  built  a  still  finer  habitation  amongst  the  old  trees  and 
gardens. 

A  great  multitude  followed  Jesus  as  he  approached  Jeri¬ 
cho,  for  the  miracles  of  healing  and  his  teaching,  so  different 
from  the  teachings  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  had  become 
widely  known.  Those  afflicted  with  disease  appealed  to  him 
at  all  times  and  places. 

The  roads  leading  to  Jerusalem  were  all  of  them  crowded 
with  pilgrims  to  the  passover,  and  merchants  selling  their 
wares,  as  always  happens  during  such  occasions. 

Of  the  many  diseases  so  prevalent  in  the  Orient,  blindness 
is  one  of  the  most  frequent  and  formidable.  It  is  said  that 
the  frequent  changes  of  temperature  in  Palestine  often  cause 
inflammation  of  the  eyes,  and  that  the  poorer  classes  neglect 
the  trouble  both  from  ignorance  and  lack  of  money. 

Bartimseus  was  a  poor  blind  beggar  who  sat  by  the  way- 
side,  eager  to  gather  a  larger  harvest  than  usual  from  the 
passover  pilgrims.  Matthew  speaks  of  two  beggars  at  this 
time,  but  Bartimseus  alone  is  mentioned  in  Mark  and  Luke. 


The:  Story 

There  was  to  be  a  holiday  in  Jerusalem,  and  people  from 
all  parts  of  the  land  of  Palestine  were  going  to  the  city  to 

celebrate  it. 

The  roads  leading  up  to  the  city  were  crowded  with  trav- 


178 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


elers.  Some  rode  on  big,  tall  camels  ;  some  rode  on  donkeys ; 
some  walked. 

Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  going.  They  walked. 

As  the  pilgrims  traveled  along,  there  were  chances  to 
buy  things  everywhere.  The  merchants  were  making  a  great 
deal  of  money. 

Now,  sitting  at  the  side  of  the  road  not  far  from  th.e 
gate  of  the  city  of  Jericho,  was  a  blind  man  named  Barti¬ 
mseus. 

Jericho  was  right  along  the  road  that  went  to  Jerusalem, 
and  Jesus  and  his  disciples  and  the  crowds  of  people  had 
to  pass  through  the  city. 

It  was  a  splendid  city,  with  mansions  in  the  midst  of 
beautiful  gardens  where  rich  men  lived.  There  were  groves 
of  palm  trees ;  there  were  fountains  and  brooks ;  there  was 
a  castle  which  belonged  to  the  king. 

Bartimseus  lived  in  the  city,  but  he  did  not  live  in  one 
of  the  beautiful  houses  ;  he  was  one  of  the  poorest,  most  mis¬ 
erable  men  in  all  the  town.  He  was  a  beggar,  and  blind. 

He  sat  by  the  roadside  asking  for  alms.  He  was  very 
glad  when  he  heard  the  small  bits  of  money  drop  into  his 
cup.  He  hoped  that  many,  many  of  the  crowds  would  look 
down  at  him  and  pity  him  and  give  him  money. 

Sometimes  blind  people  can  hear  better  than  other  people, 
because  they  try  so  hard  to  find  out  what  is  happening. 

As  he  sat  there  that  spring  day,  Bartimseus  heard  that 
something  unusual  was  going  on.  People  were  hurrying; 
they  were  talking  about  something.  They  were  trying  to 
get  where  they  could  see.  They  were  jostling  to  get  to  the 
road. 

Jesus  was  passing  by.  People  had  heard  about  him,  and 
they  wanted  to  see  him.  I  think  that  even  poor  Bartimseus 
may  have  heard  something  of  the  wonderful  things  that 
Jesus  had  done;  how  he  had  often  cured  sick  people,  and 
helped  lame  people  and  blind  men  like  himself. 

“  What  is  happening  ?”  asked  Bartimseus.  “  Why  are 
people  hurrying?” 

“Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  passing  by!”  said  the  people,  and 
they  hurried  on. 

Bartimseus  forgot  all  about  hoping  for  money.  He  did 
not  listen  any  longer  for  the  clinking  of  the  coins.  He  re- 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


179 


membered  what  he  had  heard  about  Jesus:  how  he  had 
helped  poor  people  like  himself ;  how  he  had  made  lame  peo¬ 
ple  able  to  walk  and  even  made  blind  people  able  to  see. 

“I  will  go  to  Jesus!  I  will  ask  him  to  help  me!”  said 
Bartimaeus  to*  himself. 

He  groped  his  way  through  the  crowd  to  a  place  where 
Jesus  would  pass. 

“  Jesus  of  Nazareth  will  help  me  if  I  can  make  him  hear,” 
he  thought. 

Then  Jesus  came. 

“Jesus,  have  mercy  on  me!  Jesus,  have  mercy  on  me!” 
called  Bartimaeus  loudly  and  earnestly. 

No  one  thought  very  much  of  the  blind  beggar.  They 
tried  to  stop  his  cries. 

“  Keep  still !”  exclaimed  some  one. 

“  Hold  thy  peace !”  cried  another. 

Bartimaeus  paid  no  attention  to  those  who  tried  to  quiet 
him  and  to  hold  him  back.  He  thought  only  of  Jesus  and  of 
what  he  longed  for  Jesus  to  do. 

“Jesus  help  me!  Jesus  help  me!”  he  cried  more  loudly 
than  ever. 

Jesus  heard,  for  he  is  always  listening  for  voices  that 
call  to  him  for  help. 

“  Bring  the  man  to  me,”  he  said,  and  he  stopped  and 
waited. 

The  people  stood  still  and  looked  on.  Those  who  had 
spoken  so  unkindly  now  began  to  encourage  the  man. 

“  He  is  calling  thee,”  some  one  said. 

“  Be  brave;  rise  up  and  go  to  him,”  said  another. 

Bartimaeus  rose.  He  threw  away  his  old,  long  coat  that 
might  make  him  stumble.  He  thought  no  more  of  his  old 
tin  cup  and  the  coins.  He  hurried  to  Jesus  as  fast  as  he 
could  grope. 

“What  wouldst  have  me  to  do  for  thee?”  asked  Jesus  in' 
the  sweetest  voice  that  ever  had  spoken  to  Bartimaeus. 

“  Lord,  that  I  may  receive  my  sight !” 

“  Thou  shalt  receive  thy  sight,  Bartimaeus.  Because  thou 
hast  believed  that  I  could  do  this  for  thee,  I  give  thee  sight. 
Believing  on  me  hath  saved  thee.” 

Then — Bartimaeus  saw  Jesus’  face! 

He  saw  the  trees,  the  flowers,  the  people  in  the  crowd. 


180 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


But  his  eyes  turned  back  to  Jesus  again  and  again,  and  he 
followed  him. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

Words  that  Jesus  Spoke 

“  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit;  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 

Blessed  are  they  that  mourn :  for  they  shall  be  com¬ 
forted. 

Blessed  are  the  meek:  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth. 

Blessed  are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous¬ 
ness  :  for  they  shall  be  filled. 

Blessed  are  the  merciful :  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy. 

Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see  God. 

Blessed  are  the  peacemakers :  for  they  shall  be  called 
sons  of  God.” 

— Matthew  5  :3-9. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  that  thou  hast  given  us 
eyes  to  see  the  beautiful  things  in  the  world  round  about  us. 
Help  us  not  only  to  see  these  things,  but  also  to  find  ways 
of  helping  those  who  are  less  fortunate  than  ourselves.  This 
is  what  Jesus  did,  and  we,  too,  would  follow  him  as  did  those 
people  so  long  ago.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  paper  rose. 

Mount  pictures  in  the  scrapbook. 

•  Use  your  eyes  to  do  one  specially  helpful  thing  each  day 
this  week. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

JESUS  AND  THE  NOBLEMAN’S  SON 

John  4:46-53 
Memory  Verse 

“  The  man  believed  the  word  that  Jesus  spake  unto  him.” 

■ — John  4:50. 


The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Jesus  did  not  confine  his  work  to  Capernaum,  though  he 
chose  it  for  his  home  city  and  headquarters.  He  made  cir¬ 
cuits  throughout  the  surrounding  country,  spreading  his 
teaching  and  giving  his  help. 

The  incident  which  furnishes  our  story  for  to-day  hap¬ 
pened  while  he  was  staying  temporarily  at  Cana,  the  little 
town  in  Galilee  where  once  before,  at  the  very  beginning  of 
his  ministry,  he  attended  a  wedding  feast  and  performed 
the  miracle  of  turning  the  water  into'  wine.  He  had  been 
away  from  Galilee  for  a  number  of  months,  performing  his 
wonderful  works  of  kindness  wherever  he  was,  and  talking 
to  the  crowds  who  followed  him. 

His  power  became  a  great  topic  of  discourse:  he  was 
talked  of  in  the  homes  of  the  lowly,  and  also  in  the  palaces 
of  the  mighty.  We  have  proof  of  this  in  Matthew  14:1: 
“  At  that  season  Herod  the  tetrarch  heard  the  report  con¬ 
cerning  Jesus  and  we  also  read  in  Luke  8:3  that  Joanna, 
the  wife  of  Chuzas,  Plerod’s  steward,  “  ministered  ”  unto 
Jesus  and  his  disciples.  Some  scholars  think  that  this  noble¬ 
man  may  have  been  Chuzas. 

The  nobleman  had  a  child,  an  only  son,  who  became  alarm¬ 
ingly  sick,  indeed,  at  the  point  of  death,  with  the  fever  which 
was  prevalent  near  marshy  lands  by  the  sea. 

The  father  had  heard  of  Jesus’  power  over  sickness,  and 


181 


182 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


he  hastened  to  him.  At  first  the  man  showed  that  he  had 
no  true  understanding  of  Jesus’  supernatural  power,  but 
Jesus  led  him  to  a  real  faith  and  a  perception  of  the  truth 
that  he  was  the  Son  of  God. 


The:  Story 

Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  little  boy  who  lived  in  the 
city  of  Capernaum  by  the  seashore.  Whenever  he  wanted 
to  do  so,  he  could  go  out  to  the  beach  and  play  with  the 
pebbles  and  gather  shells  and  see  the  ships  bob  up  and  down 
on  the  waves. 

Oftentimes  he  watched  the  fishermen  come  in  with  great 
boatloads  of  fish  that  they  had  caught  in  their  nets.  Prob¬ 
ably  he  had  many  a  sail  over  those  blue  waters  when  the 
weather  was  fine. 

But  one  day  the  little  boy  became  very  sick.  He  was 
too  sick  to  eat  a  bit  of  fish  for  his  dinner,  or  any  of  the  fine 
fruit  that  grew  in  his  father’s  garden. 

His  face  was  flushed  and  his  body  was  burning  with 
fever.  It  seemed  as  if  the  boy  would  die,  for  he  grew  worse 
each  hour. 

The  father  was  a  rich  man,  a  nobleman.  He  had  servants 
to  do  his  bidding,  and  he  kept  them  busy  that  day,  rushing  to 
and  fro,  trying  to  get  help  for  his  child. 

The  boy  was  his  only  son,  and  he  loved  him  dearly. 

In  some  way  the  father  had  heard  about  Jesus  and  the 
wonderful  things  he  had  done  for  people.  “  I  will  go  and 
ask  Jesus  to  help  me,”  he  thought  to  himself.  “  I  will  beg 
him  to  heal  my  boy.” 

The  father  found  that  Jesus  was  out  of  town;  he  had 
gone  to  a  village  more  than  twenty  miles  away  from  Ca¬ 
pernaum. 

It  would  take  quite  a  long  time  to  travel  twenty  miles; 
even  if  he  hurried  very  fast  it  would  take  at  least  a  day. 
(Refer  to  the  slow  means  of  travel  in  those  days.) 

However,  the  father  said  to  himself,  “  I  must  go ;  I  must 
see  Jesus,  and  ask  him  to  heal  my  boy.” 

He  told  his  servants  what  to  do  while  he  was  away ;  then 
he  hurried  along  the  road  that  went  to  Cana,  the  place  where 
Jesus  was  staying. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


183 


The  nobleman  traveled  as  fast  as  he  could ;  he  did  not 
stop  to  rest. 

When  he  reached  Cana,  he  went  to  Jesus  and  told  him 
all  his  trouble. 

“  My  boy  is  at  the  point  of  death !”  he  said.  “  I  beg  thee 
to  come  and  heal  him.” 

Jesus  looked  so  kindly  at  the  poor,  distressed  father  that 
he  began  to  trust  him  more  and  more.  He  began  to  feel 
very  sure  that  Jesus  could  help  his  little  son. 

Jesus  wanted  to  give  the  man  even  a  greater  gift  than 
the  healing  of  his  son ;  he  wanted  to  help  the  man  to  know 
who  he  was  and  to  give  him  his  love. 

“  Unless  you  see  some  sign  or  wonder,  you  will  not  be¬ 
lieve  in  me,”  Jesus  said.  He  wanted  to  try  the  father. 

“  O  sir,  come  before  my  child  dies !”  he  begged.  His 
faith  was  growing  stronger  all  the  time  that  he  looked  at 
Jesus’  face. 

Jesus  was  very  glad  to  see  how  truly  the  father  trusted 
and  believed  in  him.  He  was  glad  to  help  the  man,  and  to 
give  him  what  he  had  asked  for. 

“  Go  thy  way ;  thy  son  liveth,”  he  said  in  a  very  kind 
voice. 

He  did  not  have  to  go  to  the  nobleman’s  house ;  his 
power  was  greater  than  that.  Just  his  word  was  enough. 

The  father  obeyed  at  once;  he  knew,  now,  that  Jesus 
had  power  to  do  this  great  thing.  He  started  on  his  home¬ 
ward  way. 

His  heart  was  very  light  and  happy  as  he  traveled  back 
over  the  road  to  Capernaum. 

By  and  by  he  drew  near  the  city.  Some  of  his  servants 
were  running  to  meet  him.  They  had  news  of  some  sort 
to  tell  him.  But  the  father  was  not  afraid  of  that  news. 

“  Master,  thy  son  liveth !  Thy  son  liveth !”  cried  one  of 
them. 

“  He  is  well !  exclaimed  another.  “  The  fever  is  gone!” 

The  nobleman’s  face  shone  with  a  great  joy  and  peace. 

“At  what  hour  did  my  boy  begin  to  get  well?”  he  asked. 

“  Yesterday  at  the  seventh  hour  the  fever  left  him,”  the 
servants  told  him. 

The  father  knew  that  the  servants  were  going  to  say,  “  At 


184 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


the  seventh  hour.”  That  was  the  very  time  when  Jesus  was 
saying,  “  Thy  son  liveth.” 

When  he  reached  home,  he  found  that  all  was  as  his 
servants  had  said.  His  body  was  healed. 

The  nobleman  told  his  servants  and  all  his  household 
his  wonderful  story:  how  he  had  gone  to  Jesus;  how  kindly 
Jesus  had  looked  at  him;  what  he  had  said. 

“  At  the  seventh  hour  he  told  me  that  my  son  would  live ; 
he  told  me  to  go  home.  I  believed  him,  and  obeyed.” 

After  that  day  the  nobleman,  his  servants,  and  all  his 
household  believed  in  Jesus,  and  loved  him  and  gave  their 
hearts  to  him. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  I  will  cry  unto  God  with  my  voice, 

Even  unto  God  with  my  voice ;  and  he  will  give  ear 
unto  me. 

In  the  day  of  my  trouble  I  sought  the  Lord : 

My  hand  was  stretched  out  in  the  night,  and  slacked 
not ; 

My  soul  refused  to  be  comforted.” 

— Psalm  77:1,  2. 

“  Sing  aloud  unto  God  our  strength : 

Make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the  God  of  Jacob.  .  .  . 

Thou  calledst  in  trouble,  and  I  delivered  thee.” 

— Psalm  81 :1,  7a. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  remember  to  go  to  thee  when 
we  are  in  trouble.  May  we  trust  thee  as  the  nobleman  did. 
Help  us  to  remember  that  thou  art  always  sorry  for  our 
distress,  and  that  thou  wilt  give  us  the  answer  that  is  best. 
Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Impromptu  dramatization  of  the  father’s  return  journey; 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


185 


the  coming  of  the  servants ;  conversation ;  the  story  of  the 
father  told  at  home. 

Class  may  send  a  gift  to  a  sick  child. 

Mount  pictures  in  the  scrapbook. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

A  WONDERFUL  DAY  IN  A  FISHERMAN’S 

COTTAGE 

Luke  4 :38-40 


Memory  Verse 


“  Surely  he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sor¬ 
rows.” 


— Isaiah  53  :4. 


The  Teacher's  Preparation 

The  incidents  used  for  this  story  took  place  at  Caper¬ 
naum  in  the  cottage  of  Peter  the  fisherman. 

Jesus  had  begun  his  public  teaching  in  Galilee;  he  had 
performed  several  miracles  since  his  first,  the  turning  of  the 
water  into  wine  at  the  marriage  feast  in  Cana.  He  had 
also,  upon  a  second  visit  to  Cana,  healed  the  son  of  a  noble¬ 
man  who  lay  ill  at  his  home  in  Capernaum.  He  had  been 
rejected  from  his  early  home  city  of  Nazareth  and  had  made 
his  choice  of  Capernaum  for  his  headquarters. 

At  this  time  Jesus  was  an  inmate  of  Peter’s  humble  cot¬ 
tage.  Living  with  Peter  were  his  wife,  his  wife’s  mother, 
and  his  brother  Andrew. 

The  cottages  of  Capernaum  were  made  of  the  black  basalt, 
or  lava,  found  in  the  vicinity,  and  were  whitewashed. 
Many  of  them  were  very  attractive  as  they  were  surrounded 
with  the  lovely  trees  which  grew  in  such  abundance ;  and 
their  gardens  were  sweet  with  the  pink-and-white  blossoms 
of  the  oleanders,  and  the  roses  and  lilies  for  which  the 
country  was  renowned. 

Peter’s  cottage  had  a  court  in  front  of  it. 

Upon  this  certain  Sabbath,  Jesus  went  to  the  synagogue 
in  the  morning.  We  can  imagine  the  crowds  he  saw,  men 


186 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


clothed  in  the  flowing  robes  of  the  Orient,  moving  with 
slow  dignity  to  the  place  of  worship.  Rabbis  and  the  elders 
sat  on  raised  cushions  in  the  “  chief  seats.” 

The  men  of  the  congregation  sat  on  the  open  floor.  The 
women  sat  in  a  separate  apartment,  or  a  gallery.  The 
faces  of  the  women  were  veiled  in  white,  but  their  flowing 
mantles  were  of  many  colors. 

After  the  regular  form  of  service  which  consisted  of 
reading  from  the  Scriptures,  prayers,  and  responses  from 
the  congregation,  Jesus  spoke.  His  wonderful  words,  so 
different  from  the  regular  teachings  of  the  rabbis,  made 
a  great  impression.  During  the  talk  an  unfortunate  man 
afflicted  with  a  strange  form  of  what  you  think  is  insanity, 
the  Bible  says  he  had  “  an  unclean  spirit,”  called  out  at 
Jesus  in  a  frenzied  manner,  causing  consternation  in  the 
place.  Jesus  rebuked  the  demon  in  the  man  and  healed  him. 
This  act  caused  the  greatest  wonder  and  excitement. 

When  the  service  was  ended,  Jesus  and  his  disciples  left 
for  Peter’s  house. 

The  lesson  story  tells  how  they  found  that  Peter’s  mother- 
in-law  had  become  very  ill  with  the  fever  which  was 
prevalent  in  Capernaum  at  times  on  account  of  certain 
marshy,  reedy  lands  bordering  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  They  ap¬ 
pealed  to  Jesus,  and  he  healed  her.  The  stories  of  the  two 
miracles  spread  throughout  the  countryside,  and  when 
evening  came,  crowds  of  sick  people  filled  the  court  of 
Peter’s  house,  and  he  healed  them. 

Teaching  Suggestion 

Use  the  sketch  of  the  Oriental  house  already  given. as  an 
aid  to  your  blackboard  work.  By  reviewing  this  whenever 
opportunity  is  given,  the  general  form  of  the  Oriental  house 
will  become  very  familiar  to  your  pupils. 

Refer  also  to  the  sand-table  model  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee 
and  its  environs. 


The  Story 

A  loud  but  sweet  and  clear  blast  from  a  trumpet  sounded 
through  the  town  of  Capernaum.  Some  one  blew  the  trumpet 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS  187 

as  he  stood  on  the  roof  of  the  synagogue,  as  the  church  was 
called. 

All  the  family  in  Peter’s  house  were  expecting  the  trumpet 
blast;  they  were  listening  for  it.  Pretty  soon  another  note 
would  sound. 

The  Sabbath  was  near  at  hand ;  the  sun  was  setting.  Two 
more  blasts  would  be  heard  then  all  work  must  be  done.  It 
would  be  the  holy  Sabbath. 

Peter  and  Andrew  had  fastened  their  boats  to  the  shore; 
so  had  James  and  John.  The  nets  and  the  baskets  and  the 
hooks  were  all  put  away. 

Inside  the  house  Peter’s  wife  and  her  mother  were  hurry¬ 
ing  to  do  the  last  bit  of  work.  The  meat  must  be  cooked ; 
the  bread  must  be  baked;  the  floors  must  be  cleaned;  the 
Sabbath  fires  must  be  lighted.  All  must  be  done  when  the 
third  blast  sounded. 

One !  Two !  All  in  Peter’s  cottage  listened.  Three ! 
The  Sabbath  had  come  again. 

A  great  many  other  pretty  cottages  in  Capernaum  had 
also  been  made  ready  for  the  Sabbath,  but  there  was  a 
reason  why  Peter’s  home  was  very  specially  happy:  Jesus 
lived  within  it.  He  had  chosen  Capernaum  for  his  city,  and 
he  had  gone  to  live  at  Peter’s  house. 

At  nine  o’clock  in  the  morning  Peter  and  Andrew  and 
James  and  John  went  with  Jesus  to  church.  Many  people 
were  there. 

After  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  and  after  the  pray¬ 
ers  were  said,  Jesus  spoke. 

The  people  listened  to  every  word ;  no  one  ever  had 
taught  as  Jesus  taught. 

While  Jesus  was  speaking,  a  man  who  was  suffering  from 
a  strange  disease  which  made  him  something  like  the  people 
whom  we  call  “  insane  ”  wandered  into  the  church.  He  be¬ 
gan  to  cry  out  at  Jesus.  The  people  were  terrified. 

Jesus  spoke  to  the  insane  spirit  in  the  poor  man.  The 
spirit  obeyed,  and  left  him. 

The  people  wondered  more  and  more  about  Jesus,  who 
was  so  ready  and  able  to  help  those  who  needed  help. 

After  the  services  were  over,  Peter  and  Andrew  and 
James  and  John  went  home  to. Peter’s  cottage  with  Jesus. 


188 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


When  they  reached  the  house,  they  found  that  the  good 
mother  who  was  so  dear  to  them  all  had  become  very  ill. 

She  had  caught  a  fever,  and  lay  sick  and  hot  and  help¬ 
less. 

Her  daughter  was  greatly  troubled.  But  she  thought  to 
herself,  “  Jesus  will  help  us  when  he  comes  back  to  the 
house.” 

So  she  went  right  away  to  Jesus,  and  told  him  her  trouble. 
Jesus  gently  took  the  hand  of  the  sick  mother  in  his. 

The  fever  immediately  left ;  the  mother  rose  from  her  bed, 
and  went  about  the  house  again. 

Two  wonderful  cures  in  one  day !  The  man  at  the  church, 
and  now  Peter  the  fisherman’s  mother-in-law !  In  some 
way  the  news  spread  outside.  It  was  too  good  to  be  kept. 
The  people  talked  about  these  happenings  all  day  long. 

The  news  was  told  in  the  house  where  a  lame  man  lived ; 
it  was  told  in  the  home  of  a  blind  man ;  it  was  told  in  a  house 
where  a  sick  child  lay ;  it  was  told  in  the  home  of  a  boy  who 
had  twisted  legs.  That  news  was  told  in  a  great  many  houses 
where  some  one  very  dear  was  sick  or  crippled  or  suffering 
from  one  disease  or  another. 

“  I’ll  take  my  Joseph  to  Jesus  as  soon  as  the  hours  of 
the  Sabbath  are  passed,”  said  one  mother. 

“  I’ll  lead  poor,  blind  father  to  him,”  said  a  boy. 

“  I’ll  carry  my  little  lame  Esther  to  Peter’s  house,”  said 
a  father. 

So  the  little  groups  passed  through  the  street  as  soon  as 
the  sun  had  set,  and  all  found  their  way  to  the  cottage  of 
Peter  the  fisherman.  The  court  in  front  of  the  house  was 
crowded. 

Jesus  came  to  the  door.  The  people  knew  that  he  was 
sorry  for  them,  and  they  loved  and  trusted  him. 

He  laid  his  hands  on  them,  and  drove  away  the  illness  and 
the  pain ;  not  one  did  he  miss.  He  had  a  message  for  all. 

A  happy  crowd  left  Peter’s  cottage  to  go  to  their  homes ; 
it  had  been  the  most  wonderful  day  of  their  lives. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

A  Song  of  Praise  to  God  for  His  Goodness 

“  Praise  ye  Jehovah. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


189 


Praise  Jehovah,  O  my  soul. 

While  I  live  will  I  praise  Jehovah: 

I  will  sing  praises  unto  my  God  while  I  have  any 
being,  .  .  . 

Happy  is  he  that  hath  the  God  of  Jacob  for  his  help,  .  .  . 

Jehovah  openeth  the  eyes  of  the  blind ; 

Jehovah  raiseth  up  them  that  are  bowed  down;  .  .  . 

He  upholdeth  the  fatherless  and  widow ;  .  .  . 

Jehovah  will  reign  for  ever,  .  .  . 

Praise  ye  Jehovah.” 

— Selected  from  Psalm  146. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  Jesus,  and  for  what 
he  did  when  he  lived  upon  earth.  We  thank  thee  for  all  the 
help  that  thou  sendest  to  us.  May  we  always  remember  to 
come  to  thee  in  time  of  need.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Copy  one  of  the  Bible  Reading  verses. 

Draw  or  construct  an  Oriental  house  of  the  humble  class 
such  as  was  the  fisherman’s  cottage  of  to-day’s  lesson. 

Make  a  class  contribution  of  something  pleasing  to  a  per¬ 
son  who  has  been  ill :  a  plant,  a  book,  an  orange  or  a  maga¬ 
zine. 


CHAPTER  XX 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

THE  HEALING  OF  THE  WITHERED  HAND 

Matthew  12:9-14 
Memory  Verse: 

“  It  is  lawful  to  do  good  on  the  sabbath  day.” — Matthew 

12:12b. 


The  Teacher's  Preparation 

The  Pharisees  of  Jesus’  time  spent  a  great  portion  of 
six  days  of  the  week  in  discussions  of  what  they  considered 
proper  and  lawful  ways  of  keeping  the  Sabbath.  They  had 
arrived  at  a  misunderstanding  of  God’s  object  in  be¬ 
stowing  the  Sabbath  upon  man :  the  bringing  of  rest  and 
peace  and  time  for  communion  with  a  loving,  heavenly 
Father. 

Their  restrictions  had  made  life  intensely  uncomfortable, 
and  in  many  cases  unbearable.  All  were  hedged  about  by 
unreasonable  and  often  ridiculous  limitations  which  for¬ 
bade  any  sort  of  activity.  The  “  Sabbath  breaker  ”  rendered 
himself  liable  to  death  by  stoning. 

A  physician  could  not  be  called  on  the  Sabbath ;  an  aching 
tooth  could  not  be  doctored  unless  the  vinegar  or  oil  taken 
in  the  mouth  be  swallowed  ;  hot  fomentations  in  case  of  ill¬ 
ness  were  forbidden  unless  the  patient  were  threatened  with 
immediate  death ;  a  sore  throat  could  not  be  gargled.  These 
are  but  samples  of  the  endless  rules  that  had  grown  up 
round  God’s  gift  until  the  day  became  a  burden  instead  of 
the  blessing  intended. 

In  considering  the  wonderful  “help”  that  Jesus  came  to 
give,  we  must  include  his  reinterpretation  of  God’s  law  con¬ 
cerning  the  Sabbath.  “  The  sabbath  was  made  for  man, 
and  not  man  for  the  sabbath,”  he  told  these  fanatics,  and 


190 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


191 


then  proceeded  to  show  by  example  how  God  really  wanted 
the  Sabbath  kept. 

But  this  was  encroaching  upon  the  most  cherished  scheme 
of  the  Pharisees’  lives,  and  they  showed  immediate  hostility 
toward  Jesus,  first  secretly,  then  openly.  They  watched 
constantly  for  lapses  and  failures  in  observing  the  law  ac¬ 
cording  to  their  interpretations. 

Jesus  constantly  failed  to  measure  up  to  their  standards, 
and  when  he  healed  publicly  on  the  Sabbath  Day,  their  feel¬ 
ing  toward  him  was  intensely  bitter  and  hostile. 

In  the  particular  incident  of  the  healing  of  the  man  with 
the  withered  hand,  we  note  the  wonderful  bravery  which 
Jesus  showed.  He  ordered  the  man  to  come  forth  and  stand 
in  the  view  of  the  scowling  men  while  he  attacked  the  very 
warp  and  woof  of  their  belief. 

Jesus  dared  this  for  the  sake  of  those  whom  he  had  come 
to  help. 


Thl  Story 

In  the  land  of  Palestine,  when  a  little  boy  named  Joseph 
had  a  toothache  on  the  Sabbath  Day,  he  had  to  bear  the 
pain  until  the  Sabbath  Day  was  over.  His  mother  was  sorry, 
but  she  could  do  nothing  for  him,  not  so  much  as  to  rub  a 
bit  of  soothing  medicine  upon  the  miserable,  jumping  tooth. 

If  he  cried  ever  so  hard  his  father  could  only  say:  “  Try 
to  bear  it  until  the  Sabbath  Day  is  over,  son.  You  know  we 
are  forbidden  to  do  anything  to-day.  Rubbing  your  tooth 
would  be  work.  We  cannot  break  the  law.  It  will  not  kill 
you,  my  boy.  Try  to  be  brave.” 

When  a  little  girl  named  Esther  had  a  sore  throat  on 
the  Sabbath  Day,  her  mother  could  not  give  her  healing 
medicine  with  which  to  gargle.  That,  too,  was  against  the 
law,  for  it  was  a  sort  of  work.  She  must  wait  in  pain  until 
next  day. 

When  Miriam’s  grandfather  was  ill  at  his  home  in  the 
next  town  one  Sabbath  Day,  mother  and  father  could  not  go 
to  see  him  until  the  next  day. 

“  How  shall  we  keep  the  Sabbath  Day  without  breaking 
it?”  This  was  the  question  all  the  wisest  men  of  the  land 
tried  to  answer,  and  they  thought  about  it  and  talked  about 


192 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


it  till  they  became  very  much  confused.  By  and  by  it  seemed 
as  if  they  were  not  able  to  think  straight  about  the  question 
at  all. 

They  were  making  many  mista'kes,  and  many  people  suf¬ 
fered.  A  Sabbath  breaker  was  cruelly  punished. 

So  in  the  land  where  Jesus  lived,  the  Sabbath  was  no 
longer  a  day  of  rest  and  peace. 

One  Sabbath  morning  a  man  with  a  withered  arm  went 
to  the  church  where  Jesus  went. 

The  man  was  very  much  troubled,  for  he  could  not  work 
well  with  only  one  arm.  He  had  been  able  to  make  a 
good  living  before  his  arm  hung  limp  and  helpless  at  his 
side. 

Some  people  think  that  he  was  a  mason,  and  had  to  lift 
stones  into  place ;  but  whatever  his  work,  it  was  about 
over,  for  his  right  arm  was  useless. 

Jesus  saw  the  man  in  the  synagogue;  he  sat  with  the 
other  men  of  the  congregation. 

The  wise  rabbis  sat  together  on  the  raised  platform. 
They  looked  very  much  displeased  whenever  their  eyes 
rested  on  Jesus,  because  they  had  heard  how  he  healed  people 
on  the  Sabbath  Day. 

Jesus  saw  their  scowling  faces.  He  knew  that  he  could 
help  in  two'  ways :  He  could  heal  the  poor  man ;  and  he 
could  teach  everyone  in  the  church  a  lesson  about  keeping 
the  Sababth  Day  in  the  right  way. 

One  of  the  rabbis  asked,  “  Is  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the 
sabbath  day?” 

They  all  wanted  to  catch  Jesus  in  some  fault,  and  then 
have  him  punished. 

Jesus  said  to  them:  “What  man  amongst  you  who  had 
one  sheep  that  fell  in  a  pit  on  the  Sabbath  Day  would  not  lay 
hold  of  it  and  lift  it  out?  How  much  then  is  a  man  of 
more  value  than  a  sheep !” 

But  the  men  who  did  not  like  Jesus,  the  scribes  and  the 
Pharisees,  would  not  say  anything ;  they  scowled  the  more. 

Almost  anyone  would  have  been  afraid  of  those  men;  but 
Jesus  was  not. 

The  angry  scribes  and  Pharisees  waited  to  see  what  Jesus 
would  do.  Then  he  showed  them. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


193 


He  called  the  man  with  the  withered  hand  to  come  out  and 
stand  up  before  them  all.  The  man  obeyed. 

“  Stretch  forth  thy  hand,”  said  Jesus. 

The  man  tried !  Then  the  poor,  withered  arm  that  had 
been  so  helpless,  raised  itself.  Life  came  back,  and  it  looked 
as  well  as  the  other  hand. 

The  man  would  be  able  to  go  back  to  his  work  on  the 
morrow ! 

Jesus  had  helped  the  man,  and  he  had  taught  his  lesson. 
But  there  were  a  great  many  men  in  that  church  who  did  not 
learn  it. 


Devotional  Service 
a  bibee  reading  lesson 

“  Remember  the  sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holy.” — Exodus 

20:8. 

“  Six  days  thou  shalt  do  thy  work,  and  on  the  seventh 
day  thou  shalt  rest.” — Exodus  23:12a. 

“  And  God  blessed  the  seventh  day,  and  he  hallowed  it.” 
— Genesis  2  :3a. 

“  It  is  lawful  to  do  good  on  the  sabbath  day.” — Matthew 

12:12b. 

“  The  sabbath  was  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for  the 
sabbath. — Mark  2 :27. 


prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  giving  us  a  day  of 
rest.  Help  us  to  remember  to  keep  the  Sabbath  Day.  We 
thank  thee  for  the  lessons  that  Jesus  taught  about  the  Sab¬ 
bath,  and  about  the  way  that  God  wishes  it  to  be  kept. 
Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Copy  one  of  the  Bible  Reading  verses. 

Paste  pictures  in  the  scrapbook. 

Make  a  plan  for  some  class  deed  of  kindness  for  the  week. 


194 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


A  Blackboard  Decoration 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

JESUS  AND  THE  DEAF  AND  DUMB  MAN 

Mark  7:31-37 
Memory  Verse 

“  Surely  he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sor¬ 
rows.” — Isaiah  53 :4. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

“  He  went  out  from  the  borders  of  Tyre,  and  came  through 
Sidon  unto  the  sea  of  Galilee,  through  the  midst  of  the 
borders  of  Decapolis.” 

Tyre  and  Sidon  were  two  very  ancient  cities  located  on 
the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea  in  Phoenicia.  Tyre 
was  founded  2750  B.C.,  and  Sidon  was  still  older. 

The  inhabitants  were  many  of  them  merchantmen  and 
mariners.  They  were  not  a  warlike  people,  but  devoted  to 
their  trades. 

Tyre  was  especially  noted  for  the  beautiful,  far-famed 
purple  dyes  which  were  obtained  from  a  shellfish  called  the 
purple  murex. 

The  places  were  also  renowned  for  the  cedar  wood  cut 
from  the  splendid  forests  that  abounded. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


195 


Busy  streets,  famous  baths,  places  and  temples  to  the 
gods  that  these  people  worshiped,  all  these  things  Jesus  must 
have  seen  upon  that  visit  recorded  in  the  Bible,  yet  about 
which  we  know  so  little.  The  Syrophoenician  woman’s  child 
was  healed  at  this  time. 

When  he  returned  to  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  he  passed  through 
the  region  of  the  Decapolis.  This  was  a  district  in  which 
were  located  ten  Greek  cities  banded  together  with  such  suc¬ 
cess  that  they  had  resisted  the  Jewish  people.  It  was  east 
of  the  Jordan  River,  and  roads  led  through  the  section  to 
various  places  of  importance  such  as  Damascus.  Arabia  lay 
to  the  south. 

The  inhabitants  of  these  places  were  worshipers  of  Baal 
and  other  false  gods,  and  Jesus  once  remarked  that  they 
were  not  so  responsible  as  the  dwellers  round  about  the  Sea 
of  Galilee  and  the  places  where  he  had  spent  so  much  of 
his  time. 

Speaking  of  the  cities  of  Galilee  he  said,  “  If  the  mighty 
works  had  been  done  in  Tyre  and  Sidon  which  were  done  in 
you,  they  would  have  repented  long  ago>  in  sackcloth  and 
ashes.” 

The  deaf  and  dumb  man  was  a  native  of  one  of  the  cities 
of  the  Decapolis. 


Thk  Story 

Once  upon  a  time  in  a  far-away  city,  there  lived  a  very 
unfortunate  man.  He  was  deaf. 

He  could  not  hear  his  mother’s  voice;  he  could  not  hear 
any  of  his  friends  when  they  spoke  to  him.  He  could  not 
hear  the  songs  of  the  birds.  He  could  not  hear  any  pleasant 
thing. 

This  was  not  the  poor  man’s  only  trouble.  There  was 
something  the  matter  with  his  tongue,  so  that  he  could 
scarcely  speak. 

It  is  very  hard  to  be  deaf  and  dumb.  It  must  have  been 
almost  impossible  for  this  man  to  earn  his  living. 

Day  after  day  passed ;  the  man’s  life  was  very  dreary. 

But  one  day  some  very  good  news  was  heard  by  this  poor 
man’s  friends.  They  learned  that  a  Man  called  Jesus  was 
passing  through  their  land.  His  home  was  by  the  Sea  of 


196 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Galilee,  but  he  had  been  on  a  journey.  He  was  now  going 
back,  and  would  pass  through  their  town. 

Crowds  were  following  him,  because  of  the  very  wonder¬ 
ful  things  that  he  did. 

He  had  healed  a  great  many  sick  people.  Lame  people 
were  able  to  walk -after  he  spoke  to  them.  Blind  people 
could  see.  He  seemed  ready  to  help  everyone. 

The  friends  of  the  deaf  and  dumb  man  said :  “  We  will 
take  him  to  Jesus.  We  will  ask  Jesus  to  help  him.” 

So  they  led  their  friend  to  Jesus,  and  begged  him  to  help. 

Jesus’  eyes  were  full  of  pity  as  soon  as  they  rested  upon 
the  man.  He  led  him  aside  out  of  the  crowd. 

He  laid  his  fingers  upon  the  deaf  man’s  ears.  He  touched 
the  man’s  tongue  with  his  finger  which  he  moistened  with 
his  own  lips. 

Then,  with  a  sigh,  he  said,  “  Be  opened !” 

The  man  found  that  he  could  both  hear  and  speak ! 

•“  We  never  have  seen  anything  like  this  before !”  said 
the  people  one  to  another. 

“  He  does  wonderful  things  !” 

“  He  makes  the  deaf  to  hear  and  the  dumb  to  speak !” 

Over  and  over  the  people  said  these  things,  and  talked 
about  what  they  had  seen.  The  crowds  grew  greater.  More 
and  more  sick  people  came  to  ask  Jesus  to  help  them.  More 
and  more  people  came  with  sick  friends  who  were  not  able 
to  come  by  themselves. 

The  crowds  became  so  great  that  by  and  by  Jesus  tried 
to  get  away  by  himself  a  little  while  to  rest,  for  he  was 
tired.  But  even  this  was  impossible,  for  they  followed  him 
to  his  resting  place ;  and  he  helped  them,  every  one. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  And  he  opened  his  mouth  and  taught  them,  saying, 
Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit:  for  theirs  is  the  king¬ 
dom  of  heaven. 

Blessed  are  they  that  mourn:  for  they  shall  be  com¬ 
forted. 

Blessed  are  the  meek :  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


197 


Blessed  are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous¬ 
ness  :  for  they  shall  be  filled. 

Blessed  are  the  merciful :  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy. 
Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see  God. 
Blessed  are  the  peacemakers :  for  they  shall  be  called 
sons  of  God. 

Blessed  are  they  that  have  been  persecuted  for  righteous¬ 
ness’  sake:  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.” 

— Matthew  5  :2-10. 

(Note:  Repeat  this  reading  lesson  so  frequently  that  the 
children  will  find  the  memorization  simplified.  Comment 
upon  the  meaning  of  the  verses.) 

PRAYER 

The  prayer  that  Jesus  taught  his  disciples  to  pray. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Copy  one  of  the  Bible  Reading  verses. 

Impromptu  dramatization  of  the  scene  between  the  onlook¬ 
ers  after  the  cure  of  the  deaf-and-dumb  man. 

Mount  pictures  in  the  scrapbook. 


198 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


COPYRIGHT,  JS06  A*D  19W,  BY  CkARlLS  FOSTER  K t n T 


METrtOOlST  BOOK  COHCLHN,  *»  YORK  X  ClNCIHRATI 


PALESTINE 


JESUS  CHOOSING  HELPERS 


' 


CHAPTER  XXI 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

THE  HELPERS  CHOSEN  AND  SENT  OUT 
Luke  6:12,  13;  Matthew  10:1-13 
Memory  Verse 

“Freely  ye  received,  freely  give.” — Matthew  10:8b. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

At  this  time  the  national  condition  of  the  people  of 
Palestine  was  like  a  seething  caldron.  Dissatisfaction  with 
the  rulers  had  reached  its  height.  The  rulers  appointed  by 
the  Roman  head  and  therefore  his  sycophants,  heaped  every 
indignity  upon  their  long-suffering  subjects.  A  most  excit¬ 
ing  indignity  was  a  massacre  of  Galilseans  by  Pilate,  who 
hated  his  subjects  with  a  very  bitter  hatred. 

Both  personal  and  national  suffering  clouded  the  whole 
land  where  Jesus  lived.  Agitation  and  dissatisfaction  and 
hatred  were  everywhere. 

John  the  Baptist  was  still  a  prisoner  in  the  black  dun¬ 
geon  of  Machserus,  having  been  cast  there  by  Herod 
Antipas.  The  movements  of  Jesus  were  also  being  watched 
by  this  “  fox.” 

Although  the  rabbis,  the  scribes,  and  the  Pharisees  were 
so  hostile  to  Jesus,  the  broken-spirited  people  of  the  land 
heard  him  gladly,  and  followed  him,  begging  for  relief  and 
counsel. 

Jesus’  heart  bled  for  them;  he  forfeited  even  the  hours 
that  seemed  necessary  for  rest  after  his  exhausting  work. 
But  even  this  was  not  sufficient  time  to  meet  the  growing 
demand.  He  determined  to  send  out  his  disciples  on  a  min¬ 
istry  throughout  the  country. 

“  The  harvest  is  plenteous,  but  the  laborers  are  few,” 
Jesus  said  to  his  disciples,  speaking  as  he  so  often  did  figur- 


201 


20  2 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


atively.  “  Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that 
he  send  forth  laborers  into  this  harvest.”  There  were  so 
many  to  be  won,  but  so  few  teachers. 

The  Twelve  now  had  been  receiving  instruction  in  the 
Master’s  methods  for  a  considerable  period  of  time.  Jesus 
determined  to  send  them  forth  on  a  little  trial  ministry  of 
their  own. 

The  plan  was  as  follows :  They  were  to  go  two  by  two, 
and  not  alone.  This  would  give  them  pleasant  companion¬ 
ship,  greater  safety  and  comfort.  They  were  probably 
paired  off  in  ways  best  suited  to  each  other.  For  example 
Peter  and  Andrew;  James  and  John  and  the  others  in  like 
manner,  the  need  in  one  man  being  supplied  by  a  double  por¬ 
tion  of  that  characteristic  in  the  companion. 

Jesus  gave  them  directions,  and  he  also  gave  them  power 
to  heal  diseases,  and  authority  over  unclean  spirits. 

They  had  received  freely  from  him,  freely  they  were  to 
give.  “  Heal  the  sick,  raise  the  dead,  cleanse  the  lepers, 
cast  out  demons,”  he  said. 

They  were  to  go  simply  clad,  without  baggage  and  with¬ 
out  money.  They  were  to  trust  to  hospitality  for  every¬ 
thing  they  needed. 

Teaching  Suggestion 

After  the  telling  of  this  story,  liken  the  tour  of  the  dis¬ 
ciples  to  the  work  of  modern  missionaries  who  go  to  the 
foreign  fields  to  tell  about  Jesus.  Tell  of  the  medical  mis¬ 
sionaries. 

Describe  the  dress  of  an  Oriental  traveler  of  the  humble 
class :  The  flowing  robe  girded  in  by  a  belt ;  the  turban ;  the 
sandals ;  the  purse  generally  carried  in  the  belt,  but  omitted 
in  this  case  by  Jesus’  direct  command;  the  staff. 

Review  the  story  of  the  calling  of  the  first  four  disciples 
and  let  the  children  name  them.  Write  the  names  upon  the 
blackboard.  Tell  the  children  that  Jesus  called  all  twelve 
men  to  be  his  “  special  helpers  ” ;  they  were  called  his 
“  twelve  disciples.”  You  may  write  these  names  on  the 
blackboard  in  order  that  the  children  may  see  them  and  re¬ 
peat  them  and  thus  begin  to  be  familiar  with  them. 

Dwell  upon  the  thought  that  it  is  a  very  pleasant  thing 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


203 


to  help  some  one  whom  you  very  dearly  love  to  do  any  work 
that  he  or  she  is  specially  interested  in.  Give  some  specific 
incident  that  the  children  may  readily  catch  your  idea :  for 
example,  a  concrete  illustration  of  a  boy  helping  his  father; 
a  girl  helping  her  mother ;  a  little  boy  helping  a  big  boy 
who'  is  his  “  pal.” 

Show  how  the  disciples  were  beginning  to  be  quite  familiar 
with  the  loving  way  in  which  Jesus  talked  to  the  people; 
how  he  made  friends  with  them ;  how  he  told  them  stories 
with  a  meaning  in  order  to  help  them  to  understand. 

Jesus  now  thought  that  they  were  growing  wise  enough 
to  help  him  in  a  different  kind  of  way.  He  planned  to 
send  them  on  a  journey  to  help  as  he  had  helped :  to  follow 
his  example. 

The  reason  for  this  is  as  follows :  There  were  so  many 
to  be  reached.  Jesus  wanted  all  who  wanted  his  help  to 
have  an  opportunity  to>  get  it. 

The  story  material  in  this  lesson  is  shorter  than  usual ; 
it  remains  with  the  teacher  to  make  the  message  “  full  ”  by 
means  of  her  own  personality  and  understanding  of  what 
Jesus’  plan  was.  Make  your  children  feel  something  of  the 
need  of  such  help.  Try  to  plan  some  little  helpful  expedi¬ 
tion  which  will  show  them  the  meaning  of  social  service, 
giving  each  class  member  a  bit  for  which  he  or  she  is  re¬ 
sponsible. 

The;  Story 

It  would  be  very  hard  tO'  live  in  a  land  which  was  ruled 
by  a  man  who  really  hated  his  people;  who  even  ordered 
his  servants  and  soldiers  to  put  them  in  prison  or  to  take 
away  their  lives  if  he  was  displeased  with  them. 

But  that  was  the  way  it  was  in  Palestine,  the  land  where 
Jesus  lived.  Herod  was  a  wicked,  cruel  ruler. 

Many  of  the  people  were  very,  very  poor.  The  lack  of 
money  often  makes  sick  people ;  there  were  very  many  sick 
people  in  the  land  where  Jesus  lived. 

There  were  few  good  doctors,  and  little  money  to  pay 
the  doctors. 

Herod  had  beautiful  palaces,  and  splendid  robes  and  jew¬ 
els,  and  chariots  drawn  by  splendid  horses.  His  table  was 
spread  with  all  the  dainties  of  the  land. 


204 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


But  in  the  black  dungeons  beneath  his  glittering  palaces 
suffered  the  prisoners  whom  he  pleased  to  put  there. 

Some  of  these  had  done  no'  wrong.  One  of  Jesus’  friends 
had  been  cast  in  Herod’s  dungeon. 

Jesus  was  sorry  for  the  poor  people.  He  had  healed  a 
great  many  sick.  He  had  comforted  them.  He  had  taught 
them. 

He  worked  for  them  day  after  day.  More  and  more  came 
to  ask  for  his  help. 

They  came  to  him  when  he  was  worn  out  with  weariness. 

He  longed  to  help  everyone ;  but  there  were  so  many. 

By  this  time  Jesus  had  twelve  special  helpers,  his  twelve 
disciples.  They  followed  him  from  place  to  place  as  he 
helped  and  taught  the  people. 

They  had  seen  him  heal  sick ;  they  had  heard  him  teach. 
They  had  been  learning  the  ways  of  their  Master. 

Jesus  called  his  twelve  disciples  and  told  them  that  he 
wanted  them  to  help  him  in  his  work. 

“  I  shall  send  you  out  upon  a  journey,”  he  said.  You 
shall  not  go  alone,  but  two  by  two. 

“If  two  are  together  you  can  help  each  other.  You  may 
talk  together  and  comfort  each  other. 

“  I  will  give  you  power  to  heal  the  sick  as  I  have  done. 
Heal  the  sick,  raise  the  dead,  cleanse  lepers,  cast  out  evil 
spirits. 

“  You  are  to  carry  nothing  with  you;  not  even  a  purse  of 
coin  in  your  girdle.  Wear  the  simplest  clothing;  wear 
sandals  upon  your  feet;  carry  a  staff. 

“  Go  help  the  people,  and  teach  them  as  I  have  done.” 

And  so  the  helpers  went  out  two  by  two  to  heal  the  sick, 
cleanse  the  lepers,  and  cast  out  evil  spirits ;  to  teach  and 
comfort  as  Jesus  their  Master  had  done. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

Jesus’  Words  About  Doing  for  Others 

“  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit :  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 

Blessed  are  they  that  mourn:  for  they  shall  be  com¬ 
forted.  .  . . 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


205 


Blessed  are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous¬ 
ness  :  for  they  shall  be  filled.” — Matthew  5  :3,  4,  6. 

“  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  unto  one  of  these  my  brethren, 
even  these  least,  ye  did  it  unto  me. . . . 

Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  unto  one  of  these  least,  ye  did 
it  not  unto  me.” — Matthew  25  :40,  45. 

prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  thy  loving  care  over 
the  poor,  the  sick,  and  the  unfortunate.  We  know  that  there 
is  very  much  to  do  for  those  who  need.  Jesus  taught  us  this. 
Show  us  ways  to  be  thy  helpers.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Mount  pictures  in  the  scrapbook. 

Make  a  plan  for  some  special  social  work  for  this  week. 


JESUS  LOVING  AND  RECEIVING  LOVE 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS  209 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

JESUS  AND  THE  CHILDREN 
Matthew  19:13-15;  Mark  10:13,  14,  16;  Luke  18:15,  16 

Memory  Verse 

“  Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid 
them  not:  for  to  such  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  God.” — 
Luke  18:16. 


The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Perea  was  the  name  of  a  district  east  of  the  river  Jordan; 
the  name  signifies  “  the  land  beyond.” 

Jesus  was  passing  through  Perea  in  slow  stages  on  his 
last  journey  to  the  passover  feast  at  Jerusalem,  when  this 
incident  occurred. 

His  disciples  were  with  him,  and  just  previous  to  the  oc¬ 
currence  which  forms  our  story  for  to-day’s  lesson,  he  had 
been  discussing  points  of  the  law  with  those  who  were  con¬ 
stantly  at  hand  ready  to  trip  him  in  the  questions  nearest  to 
their  hearts,  the  keeping  of  the  letter  of  the  law.  The  special 
point  under  discussion  was  what  Jesus  thought  of  marriage. 

Presently  a  number  of  the  mothers  who  dwelt  in  the 
vicinity  drew  near,  bringing  their  babies  and  little  children 
with  them,  craving  a  blessing.  It  was  a  beautiful  custom  of 
the  country  to  bring  the  little  ones  to  a  rabbi  who  was 
specially  honored  and  respected  and  to  ask  for  his  blessing. 

The  disciples  thought  that  the  mothers  and  children  might 
disturb  their  Master,  and  so  sought  to  send  them  away.  But 
Jesus  immediately  discountenanced  their  attitude,  and  rebuk¬ 
ing  them,  gave  the  children  their  true  place  in  his  heart  and 
in  his  Kingdom. 

This  is  a  beautiful  opportunity  to  bring  to  your  pupils  the 
message  of  the  special  love  of  Jesus  for  children. 

With  this  lesson  is  printed  the  old  hymn  “  I  Think  When 
I  Read  That  Sweet  Story  of  Old.”  It  is  always  new  to  some 
child,  and  belongs  especially  with  this  lesson. 

In  many  classes  you  may  read  the  poem  “  The  Master 
Has  Come  Over  Jordan”  after  the  telling  of  your  story, 
or  at  some  other  time. 


210 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Before  the  Story 

Make  a  blackboard  sketch  similar  to  that  given  in  Chapter 
XX,  but  introduce  in  it  a  plain  little  Oriental  house  such 
as  we  have  used  previously  for  a  pattern. 

The  Story 

Once  upon  a  time  there  were  some  little  children  who 
lived  with  their  father  and  mother  in  a  little  house  some¬ 
thing  like  this.  Brother  Joseph  was  the  oldest;  little  David 
and  Ruth  came  in  between ;  then  came  baby  Rachel. 

One  day  when  Joseph  and  David  and  Ruth  came  in  from 
play  they  saw  that  something  pleasant  was  going  to  happen. 
Mother’s  shining  eyes  told  it  to  them  before  she  spoke. 

“Jesus  is  not  very  far  from  our  house  to-day.  I  shall 
take  you  to  see  him,”  she  said. 

Joseph  had  heard  his  father  and  mother  talk  of  the  kind 
Teacher  who  had  healed  the  sick  and  made  the  blind  able  to 
see  and  the  lame  to  walk. 

Father  told  mother  about  the  wonderful  kindness  he 
showed  to  the  poor  and  the  sad.  Father  had  heard  him 
talk. 

Joseph  wanted  to  go;  and  because  Joseph  wanted  to  go, 
little  David  and  Ruth  wanted  to  go.  Baby  Rachel  was  too 
little  to  understand  anything  about  it,  but  she  was  glad  to 
go  where  mother  went. 

So  mother  got  them  all  ready,  and  they  started  over  the 
road  and  away  to  the  place  where  mother  knew  she  would 
find  him. 

The  children  picked  some  pretty  lilies  that  grew  along 
the  road  to  give  to  Jesus. 

All  along  the  way  they  met  other  mothers  who  also  had 
heard  about  Jesus  and  were  taking  their  children  to  see  him. 
Every  face  was  shining  with  happiness. 

“  There  he  is,”  said  mother  presently.  “  He  is  talking 
to  the  men  around  him.” 

Indeed  there  was  a  great  crowd ;  it  was  quite  hard  to  get 
through.  But  mother  so  much  wanted  to  get  the  children 
near  him. 

Presently  one  of  the  disciples  who  were  with  Jesus  spied 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


211 


mother  trying  to  urge  her  little  children  forward.  He  came 
near,  but  he  did  not  help  her  through. 

“  You  must  not  trouble  the  Master,  now,”  he  said  quite 
sternly.  “  Do  you  not  see  that  he  is  busy  talking  to  these 
men?  He  is  talking  about  very  deep  things.  Take  these 
children  away.  The  Master  cannot  bother  about  them  now.” 

The  disciples  began  to  talk  to  the  other  mothers  in  just 
the  same  way. 

“  The  Master  is  too  tired  to  talk  to  the  children  to-day. 
Take  them  away.” 

Mother  was  quite  ashamed.  All  the  shining  look  left  her 
face.  She  seemed  almost  frightened. 

Joseph  was  ready  to  cry;  so  were  David  and  Ruth.  Baby 
Rachel  hid  her  face  in  mother’s  shoulder. 

Jesus  heard  the  disciples;  he  saw  the  mothers  start  to 
turn  away  with  their  little  disappointed  children. 

He  called  them  back. 

“  Do  not  send  those  dear  children  away,”  he  said ;  and  he 
put  out  his  hands.  “  Do  not  send  them  away  !  I  want  them  ! 
I  love  them !” 

“  Come,  dear  children !”  he  exclaimed,  and  his  kind  voice 
took  all  the  fear  from  their  hearts.  “  Come !” 

“  Let  the  little  children  come  to  me.  Do  not  send  them 
away !”  he  said. 

Joseph  climbed  in  Jesus’  lap  and  put  his  arms  about  Jesus’ 
neck.  All  the  children  clustered  around. 

“  Let  all  the  little  children  come  to  me,”  said  Jesus,  and 
he  blessed  them. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  Then  were  there  brought  unto  him  little  children,  that 
he  should  lay  his  hands  on  them,  and  pray :  and  the  disciples 
rebuked  them.  But  Jesus  said,  Suffer  the  little  children, 
and  forbid  them  not,  to  come  unto  me :  for  to  such  belongeth 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.” — Matthew  19:13,  14. 

Song 

“  I  Think  When  I  Read  That  Sweet  Story  of  Old.” 


212 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


11  Ubtnfc  Wben  If  IReab  Ubat  Sweet  Stot^  of  ©ib 


Mrs.  Jemima  Luke,  1841 

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2.  I  wish  that  His  hands  had  been  placed  on  my  head,  That  His 

3.  Yet  still  to  His  foot-stool  in  prayer  I  may  go,  And 

4.  In  that  beau  -  ti  -  ful  place  He  is  gone  to  pre-pare  For 

5.  I  long  for  the  joy  of  that  glo  -  ri  -  ous  time,  The 


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look  when  He  said, “Let  the  lit  -  tie  ones  come  un  -  to  Me.” 

seek  Him  be-  low,  I  shall  see  Him  and  hear  Him  a  -  bove; 

gath  -  er-ing  there,  For  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


213 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  are  glad  when  we  think  of  the  time 
when  Jesus  took  the  children  in  his  arms  and  blessed  them. 
We  thank  thee  for  Jesus’  love  for  the  children.  Help  us 
always  to  remember  that  Jesus  loves  us  and  that  his  love 
never  fails.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Dramatize  an  imaginary  scene  in  a  home  where  the  moth¬ 
ers  and  children  were  making  ready  to  go  to  see  Jesus  on 
that  journey  from  Perea. 

a  poem  To  read 

“The  Master  has  come  over  Jordan,” 

Said  Hannah,  the  mother,  one  day. 

“  He  is  healing  the  people  who  throng  him 
With  a  touch  of  his  finger,  they  say. 

And  now  I  shall  carry  the  children, 

Little  Rachel  and  Samuel  and  John, 

And  dear  little  Esther,  the  baby, 

For  the  Master  to  look  upon.” 

So  over  the  mountains  of  Judah, 

Along  with  the  vines  all  so  green, 

With  Esther  asleep  on  her  bosom, 

And  Rachel  her  brothers  between, 

With  the  people  who  hung  on  his  teaching, 

Or  waited  his  touch  or  his  word, 

Through  the  row  of  proud  Pharisees  hastening, 

She  pressed  to  the  feet  of  her  Lord. 

“  Now  why  shouldst  thou  hinder  the  Master,” 

Said  Peter,  “with  children  like  these? 

Thou  knowest  from  morn  until  evening 
He  is  teaching  and  healing  disease.” 

Said  Jesus,  “Forbid  not  the  children; 

Permit  them  to  come  unto  me!” 

And  he  took  in  his  arms  little  Esther, 

And  Rachel  he  set  on  his  knee. 


— Julia  Gill. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

A  GIFT  FOR  JESUS 
John  12:1-8;  Mark  14:3-9 
Memory  Verse 

“  Every  man  shall  give  as  he  is  able.” 

— Deuteronomy  16:17. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Bethany  was  a  little  town  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the 
Mount  of  Olives.  It  was  only  about  two  miles  from  the  city 
of  Jerusalem,  yet  quite  hidden  from  it  by  the  mountain  top. 

The  little,  sequestered  hamlet  could  be  reached  by  a  foot¬ 
path  that  led  from  one  of  the  gates  of  the  city,  over  the 
brook  Kidron,  up  the  side  of  the  mountain,  and  then  down 
on  the  opposite  slope.  The  place  consisted  of  a  cluster  of 
pretty,  white-washed  cottages  with  gardens  of  fig  and  olive 
trees,  and  the  lovely  flowers  which  were  native  to  the 
vicinity. 

In  one  of  these  cottages  lived  a  family  of  three.  There 
were  two  sisters,  Mary  and  Martha,  and  their  brother  Laz¬ 
arus.  The  family  was  in  well-to-do  circumstances,  and  was 
of  note  in  the  neighborhood. 

Jesus  was  a  friend  of  the  household,  and  was  always  wel¬ 
comed  when  he  came.  The  house  seems  to>  have  been  opened 
to  him  as  a  home  when  he  came  to  the  city  from  Jerusalem. 

At  this  time  Jesus  had  come  to  attend  the  passover  feast 
which  was  to  be  the  last  before  his  crucifixion.  His  enemies 
had  become  extremely  and  openly  hostile  in  Jerusalem,  and 
the  home  in  Bethany  was  a  welcome  retreat. 


214 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


215 


Thl  Story 

Mary  and  Martha  and  their  brother  Lazarus  lived  in  a 
pretty  white  house  on  a  mountain  side. 

Of  all  the  houses  in  that  village  of  Bethany,  this  was  the 
happiest,  for  two  reasons :  A  Guest  whom  they  loved  very 
dearly  was  there,  and  then  brother  Lazarus  was  with  them 
again. 

Just  a  short  time  before,  the  sisters  had  been  mourning 
for  their  brother  Lazarus.  He  had  died. 

They  had  sent  for  Jesus.  He  called  Lazarus  from  the 
grave,  and  Lazarus  lived  again. 


It  was  no  wonder  that  now,  when  Jesus  had  come  again 
to  visit  at  their  house,  they  were  happy  and  gave  him  a  great 
welcome. 

They  made  a  supper  for  him  in  the  evening. 

Martha  was  one  of  the  best  housekeepers  in  all  the  town, 
and  she  tried  to  make  this  supper  the  finest  that  she  could 
prepare. 

She  baked  her  best  bread  and  cake,  she  gathered  the  ripest, 
juiciest  fruit  that  she  could  find.  The  best  dishes  that  the 
family  owned  were  placed  on  the  table. 


216 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  Nothing  is  good  enough  for  Jesus,”  she  thought  to  her¬ 
self  as  she  bustled  to  and  fro  and  round  and  round  through 
the  house. 

Mary,  too,  in  her  quiet  way,  was  preparing  for  the  Guest. 

At  last  all  the  feast  was  ready.  Martha  began  serving  the 
good  things  that  she  had  prepared. 

Now  Mary  wanted  to  do  something  to  show  her  great  love 
for  Jesus.  She  wished  to  give  him  a  gift. 

Presently  she  stole  quietly  away.  When  she  came  back 
she  carried  in  her  hand  the  most  costly  and  precious  thing 
she  owned. 

It  was  a  beautiful  flask  of  sweet  perfume,  of  a  kind  that 
was  very  rare  and  costly.  It  was  worth  a  great  deal  of 
money,  and  Mary  valued  it  very  much. 

“  I  am  going  to  give  it  to  Jesus,”  she  said  to  herself. 

She  came  close  to  Jesus’  place  at  the  table;  then  she  broke 
the  beautiful  flask ;  she  poured  the  sweet  perfume  over  his 
head  and  over  his  feet.  The  whole  room  was  made  fragrant 
with  the  odor  of  flowers. 

Everyone  at  the  table  knew  the  costliness  of  Mary’s  gift; 
everyone  must  have  known  that  Mary  gave  her  gift  because 
she  loved  Jesus,  and  wanted  to  show  this. 

Jesus  knew  it,  and  was  very  glad. 

But  there  was  one  man  present  whose  face  grew  hard  and 
displeased;  it  was  Judas,  one  of  Jesus’  own  disciples. 

Why  was  all  this  waste?”  he  complained.  “That  ex¬ 
pensive  perfume  might  have  been  sold,  and  the  money  given 
to  the  poor.” 

The  people  round  the  table  began  to  listen  to  Judas ;  they 
began  to  talk  unkindly  about  Mary  and  her  gift. 

Then  Jesus  turned  to'  the  grumbling  people  and  said: 
“  Let  Mary  alone.  Do  not  trouble  her.  She  has  done  a  very 
kind  thing  for  me.  You  have  the  poor  with  you  always. 
Whenever  you  want  to,  you  may  do  them  good ;  but  you  will 
not  have  me  with  you  always.  She  has  done  what  she  could 
for  me.” 

Then  Jesus  made  a  beautiful  promise  about  Mary’s  gift 
of  love.  He  said,  “  Wherever  the  story  of  my  life  shall  be 
told  throughout  the  world,  this  story  of  Mary  and  her  gift 
shall  also  he  told.” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


217 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

This  Story  in  Bible  Words 

“  Jesus  therefore  six  days  before  the  passover  came  to 
Bethany,  where  Lazarus  was,  whom  Jesus  raised  from  the 
dead.  So  they  made  him  a  supper  there:  and  Martha 
served ;  but  Lazarus  was  one  of  them  that  sat  at  meat  with 
him.  Mary  therefore  took  a  pound  of  ointment  of  pure 
lard,  very  precious,  and  anointed  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  wiped 
his  feet  with  her  hair :  and  the  house  was  filled  with  the 
odor  of  the  ointment.  But  Judas  Iscariot,  one  of  his  dis¬ 
ciples,  that  should  betray  him,  saith,  Why  was  not  this  oint¬ 
ment  sold  for  three  hundred  shillings,  and  given  to  the  poor? 
Now  this  he  said,  not  because  he  cared  for  the  poor;  but 
because  he  was  a  thief,  and  having  the  bag  took  away  what 
was  put  therein.” — John  12:1-6. 

“  But  Jesus  said,  Let  her  alone;  why  trouble  ye  her?  She 
hath  wrought  a  good  work  on  me.  For  ye  have  the  poor 
always  with  you,  and  whensoever  ye  will  ye  can  do  them 
good :  but  me  ye  have  not  always.  She  hath  done  what  she 
could.” — Mark  14:6-8a. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  that  this  beautiful  story 
was  saved  for  us  in  thy  Word,  the  Bible. 

May  it  help  us  to'  understand  how  to  give  gifts  to'  Jesus. 
May  we  remember  always,  that  it  is  the  love  in  the  heart 
that  goes  with  the  gift  that  is  precious  to  Jesus.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Read  from  the  blackboard,  copy,  and  learn  the  following 
poem : 

A  poem  To  learn 

“  What  can  I  give  him, 

Poor  as  I  am? 

If  I  were  a  shepherd, 

I  would  bring  a  lamb ; 

If  I  were  a  wise  man, 

I  would  do  my  part — 

Yet  what  can  I  give  him? 

Give  him  my  heart.” 


218  PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Draw  or  make  cuttings  of  the  two  Oriental  house  furnish¬ 
ings  found  below. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  CHILDREN’S  PRAISE  SONG 
Matthew  21 :1-17 
Memory  Verse 

“  We  love,  because  he  first  loved  us.” — I  John  4:19. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

In  the  book  of  Exodus  occur  these  verses :  “  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass,  when  ye  are  come  to  the  land  which  Jehovah 
will  give  you,  according  as  he  hath  promised,  that  ye  shall 
keep  this  service.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  your 
children  shall  say  unto  you,  What  mean  ye  by  this  service? 
that  ye  shall  say,  It  is  the  sacrifice  of  Jehovah’s  passover, 
who  passed  over  the  houses  of  the  children  of  Israel  in 
Egypt,  .  .  .  and  delivered  our  houses.” 

Each  year  at  the  passover  season,  this  question  was  asked 
and  answered  in  the  Jewish  homes,  and  the  children  were 
well  grounded  in  the  facts  relating  to  the  holiday  which  had 
been  instituted  in  commemoration  of  those  events  which 
happened  at  the  time  of  their  escape  from  bondage  in  Egypt. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


219 


God  gave  very  minute  and  accurate  directions  for  the 
keeping  of  the  holiday:  a  lamb  without  blemish  was  to  be 
used  for  the  sacrifice  and  feast ;  it  was  to  be  roasted  whole 
and  eaten  with  unleavened  bread  and  bitter  herbs.  (Read 
Exodus,  chapter  12,  for  a  description  of  the  first  passover.) 

The  children  had  a  close  association  with  the  passover 
feast,  and  they  must  have  listened  with  great  interest  to  the 
story  of  how  the  life  of  the  oldest  child  was  spared  in  every 
Jewish  home  in  Egypt  where  the  mark  of  the  blood  of  the 
lamb  was  found  upon  the  doorway,  according  to  the  com¬ 
mandment  which  had  been  given  by  God  through  the  lips 
of  Moses. 

Children  were  dearly  loved  in  Jewish  homes,  and  their 
education  began  when  they  were  very  young.  They  were 
expected  to  commence  the  learning  of  the  Law  when  about 
five  years  old.  Every  father  was  required  to'  teach  the  his¬ 
tory  of  the  great  characters  of  his  nation  and  the  words  of 
the  sacred  and  moral  law  to  his  children. 

Fathers  talked  to'  them  on  these  subjects  while  walking 
in  the  street,  or  when  gathered  together  in  the  home.  At 
an  early  age  children  were  encouraged  to'  take  some  little 
part  in  the  devotional  services,  and  in  the  religious  feasts. 

Children  were  also  sent  to  school  to  be  instructed  by  regu¬ 
lar  teachers  as  to  the  meaning  of  “  the  Law.” 

The  passover  feast  at  Jerusalem  was  a  dearly  loved  holi¬ 
day  ;  the  houses  were  made  scrupulously  clean  and  the  city 
took  on  a  gala  appearance  at  this  season. 

Before  the  Lesson 

Make  a  blackboard  sketch  similar  to  the  cut  at  the  end 
of  the  lesson  to  represent  Jerusalem;  Oriental  houses  in  a 
distant  view. 


The  Story 

“You  are  twelve  years  old  to-day,  my  son!  ”  When  a 
boy  in  the  land  of  Palestine  heard  his  father  say  that  on  his 
birthday,  he  would  look  up  proudly  into  his  father  s  kind  and 
smiling  face.  He  knew  that  those  words  meant  that  when 
the  time  for  the  great  passover  feast  next  came,  he,  too, 
would  go  to  the  feast  with  his  father  and  mother, 


220 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


All  boys  were  glad  to  go  to  the  great  feast  at  Jerusalem. 

Jerusalem  was  a  splendid  city,  built  upon  a  hill ;  and  the 
most  wonderful  thing  within  its  gates  was  the  big,  white 
Temple,  God’s  house. 

Very,  very  often  the  children  all  through  the  land  had 
asked  the  question :  “  What  mean  ye  by  this  service  ?  ”  when 
the  holiday  had  come,  and  the  fathers  had  told  them  all 
about  it.  It  was  a  long  story,  and  all  so  true. 

The  fathers  told  how  once  many,  many  years  before,  their 
grandfathers  had  lived  in  the  far-away  land  of  Egypt ;  how 
Pharaoh,  the  ruler  of  the  land,  had  been  cruel  to  them  and 
made  them  work  until  they  had  been  faint  with  weariness ; 
how  strict  overseers  had  watched  them  and  beaten  them 
when  they  had  tried  to  rest ;  how  they  suffered  year  after 
year ;  how  God  sent  Moses  to  help  them  to  get  away ;  how 
they  hurriedly  left  the  land  and  ran  away  one  night ;  how 
Pharaoh  followed  after  them ;  how  they  came  to  the  Red 
Sea,  and  Pharaoh  was  nearly  upon  them  with  his  chariots ; 
how  God  told  Moses  to  stretch  out  his  rod,  and  the  sea 
parted,  making  a  path  through  the  waters ;  how  Pharaoh’s 
forces  followed ;  how  the  people  of  Israel  reached  the  other 
side  safely ;  how  God  told  Moses  to  point  his  rod  over  the 
waters  and  the  path  was  closed  up ;  and  how  the  hosts  of  the 
Egyptians  were  drowned. 

All  this  long  story  the  fathers  had  told  many,  many  times. 
The  children  knew  it  by  heart. 

“  This  is  why  we  keep  the  happy  holiday,  children.  God 
bade  us  keep  it  in  remembrance,”  the  fathers  would  say. 

And  so,  every  year,  in  the  spring,  at  passover  time,  the 
trumpets  would  blow  over  a  city  gay  with  happy  visitors. 
The  houses  would  be  cleaned ;  the  pots  and  pans  and  plates 
and  jars  would  be  washed  in  boiling  water. 

The  mothers  and  all  the  women  would  wear  bright,  new 
dresses.  The  children  would  be  bathed  and  wear  their  best 
clothes. 

Men  would  sit  in  booths  with  things  to  sell.  They  would 
cry  their  wares  to  the  strangers  who'  came  from  long 
distances. 

There  would  be  noise  and  bustle  everywhere. 

How  the  children  liked  all  this ! 

Jesus,  too,  was  going  to  the  passover  feast.  He  said  to 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


221 


two  of  his  disciples :  44  Go  over  to  that  village  beyond  us  and 
you  will  find  a  colt  tied  by  a  door ;  a  colt  upon  which  no  man 
ever  yet  sat.  Untie  the  colt  and  bring  him  to  me.  If  any¬ 
one  should  say  to  you,  4  Why  do>  ye  this  ?  ’  say,  4  The  Lord 
hath  need  of  him/  ” 

The  two  disciples  went  and  found  the  colt,  just  as  Jesus 
had  said.  People  who  stood  near  by  asked,  44  Why  do  you 
take  the  colt  ?  ”  The  two  disciples  gave  the  answer  that 
Jesus  had  told  them  to  give.  44  The  Lord  hath  need  of  him,” 
they  said,  and  the  people  let  them  go. 

When  they  had  brought  the  colt  to  Jesus,  they  folded 
their  garments  as  a  saddle,  and  put  them  on  the  colt’s  back. 
Then  Jesus  sat  upon  the  colt,  and  started  for  Jerusalem. 

Now  among  the  crowds  were  many  to  whom  Jesus  had 
shown  great  kindness.  There  were  blind  men  to  whom  he 
had  given  sight ;  there  were  lame  men  who  now  were  walk¬ 
ing  without  a  cane ;  there  were  some  who  had  suffered  pain 
and  who  now  were  well.  All  these  people  drew  near  to 
Jesus  as  he  rode  along. 

Presently  they  began  to  pull  off  the  palm  branches  that 
grew  along  the  road.  Then  some  one  waved  his  branch  like 
a  flag  and  called  out,  44  Hosanna !  ” 

Many,  many  others  began  to  call :  44  Hosanna !  Hosanna ! 
Hosanna  in  the  highest !  ” 

They  sang  this  praise  until  the  people  inside  the  gates  came 
out  and  asked,  44  Who  is  this  whom  the  people  are  welcom¬ 
ing  as  a  king  ?  ” 

The  followers  of  Jesus  cried,  44  This  is  the  great  Teacher, 
Jesus !  ” 

Of  course  the  little  children  who'  had  come  with  their 
fathers  and  mothers  watched  the  glad  procession,  and  heard 
the  songs  of  praise  which  the  people  sang.  The  next  day 
when  Jesus  came  again  to  the  city,  the  children  saw  him. 
They  remembered  his  kind  face,  and  they  loved  him.  They, 
too,  ran  and  found  palm  branches  just  as  the  older  people 
had  done.  They  waved  them  backward  and  forward,  crying: 
44  Hosanna !  Hosanna!  Hosanna  to  Jesus!  Hosanna  to'  the 
Son  of  David  !  ” 

And  Jesus  was  very  happy  that  day,  because  of  the  chil¬ 
dren’s  songs.  He  loved  the  children  then  in  the  Temple,  as 


222 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


he  loves  them  now.  He  was  glad  to  be  sure  that  they 
loved  him. 

blackboard  decoration 


A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates ; 

And  be  ye  lifted  up,  ye  everlasting  doors : 

And  the  King  of  glory  will  come  in. 

Who  is  this  King  of  glory  ? 

Jehovah  strong  and  mighty, 

Jehovah  mighty  in  battle. 

Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates ; 

Yea,  lift  them  up,  ye  everlasting  doors: 

And  the  King  of  glory  will  come  in. 

Who  is  this  King  of  glory  ? 

Jehovah  of  hosts, 

He  is  the  King  of  glory.” — Psalm  24:7-10. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  would  sing  praises  and  give  our  love 
to  thee  as  did  those  little  children  in  Jerusalem  so  many 
years  ago.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  Bible  bookmark  and  copy  upon  it  the  praise  verse: 
“  Praise  ye  Jehovah.” 

(The  teacher  may  give  out  suitable  slips  of  paper  which 
she  has  prepared,  and  let  the  children  decorate  with  a 
gummed  seal  of  some  pleasing  design.) 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

JESUS  FEEDING  MANY  HUNGRY  PEOPLE 

John  6:1-14;  Matthew  14:13-22;  Mark  6:30-44;  Luke 
9:10-17 

Memory  Verse 

“  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.” — Matthew  6:11. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

“  Come  ye  yourselves  apart  into  a  desert  place,  and  rest 
a  while,”  said  Jesus  to  his  disciples. 

The  disciples  had  returned  from  their  first  trial  ministry 
alone  without  their  Master,  and  the  work  had  proved  strenu¬ 
ous.  Moreover,  the  news  of  the  murder  of  John  the  Baptist 
in  the  dungeon  prison  of  Machaerus  by  Herod  had  just 
reached  them.  This  murder  had  been  committed  at  the  re¬ 
quest  of  Salome,  the  dancing  girl,  according  to'  the  plan  and 
evil  promptings  of  her  mother,  Herodias. 

The  Master  and  his  followers  were  physically  tired  and 
mentally  despondent.  They  needed  a  time  to  rebuild  their 
flagging  energy.  What  could  be  better  than  a  quiet  retreat 
across  the  Sea  of  Galilee  to1  the  hills  and  dells  over  in  the 
vicinity  of  Bethsaida- Julias  ?  Nature  would  be  their  restorer. 

Thus  he  gave  the  invitation,  “  Come  ye  apart  .  .  .  and 
rest  a  while.” 

This  was  the  plan,  but  it  was  frustrated.  The  boat  carry¬ 
ing  them  was  seen  by  some  of  the  people.  Those  who  had 
listened  to  Jesus’  teaching,  and  had  seen  the  wonders  that  he 
had  performed,  became  wild  with  excitement.  They  fol¬ 
lowed  on  foot  round  the  shore,  and  many  of  them  reached 
the  place  before  the  landing  of  the  boat. 

Jesus  did  not  rebuke  them ;  instead,  he  relinquished  the 
hope  of  the  needed  rest,  and  continued  his  work  of  teach- 


223 


224 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


in g,  healing,  comforting.  “  They  remind  me  of  a  flock  of 
sheep  without  a  shepherd,”  he  remarked  compassionately. 

The  miraculous  way  in  which  the  vast  crowd  of  five  thou¬ 
sand  men  besides  the  women  and  children  were  fed,  consti¬ 
tutes  our  story  for  to-day. 

Teaching  Suggestions 

A  representation  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  the  two  points, 
Capernaum  and  Bethsaida-Julias  may  be  used  to  advantage 
with  this  lesson.  Construct  from  cardboard  a  little  sailing 
boat  similar  to  those  used  upon  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  (See  the 
cut  at  the  end  of  this  lesson.)  You  may  also  represent  the 
crowds  by  some  very  simple  device  if  you  choose. 

If  preferred  sketch  upon  the  blackboard  a  simple  map, 
such  as  you  probably  will  find  in  your  Bible.  Locate  the 
places  and  the  direction  of  the  voyage. 

Make  a  further  illustration  of  your  lessor^  by  drawing  a 
picture  of  the  boy’s  lunch  basket  and  the  little  fish  and  the 
loaves  that  were  within  it.  Tell  where  these  fish  were  found. 

The  Story 

James  and  John  were  so  strong  and  ready  to  work  that 
sometimes  they  were  called  the  “  Sons  of  thunder.”  Peter 
was  always  ready  to  do*  something  with  all  his  might. 

But  these  three  men,  and  also  Jesus’  other  disciples,  had 
worked  so  hard  when  they  went  out  alone  for  the  first  time 
without  Jesus  that  they  had  come  back  very  tired. 

Jesus,  too,  was  tired,  very  tired;  for  he  had  worked  for 
the  people  as  no  one  else  had  ever  worked  for  them.  Grate¬ 
ful  crowds  followed  him  everywhere. 

Jesus  knew  what  would  make  them  all  feel  rested  and 
strong  again.  A  trip  in  a  boat  across  the  sea,  and  then  out 
into  the  country ! 

“  Come,  let  us  go  by  ourselves,  alone,  out  into  the  coun¬ 
try,”  he  said.  “  We  need  a  rest.” 

The  tired  men  were  glad  to  go.  Soon  the  boat  was  ready. 
Jesus  and  all  the  others  stepped  into  it. 

Strong  arms  picked  up  the  oars,  and  soon  they  were  away ! 

The  weather  was  fair,  and  the  boat  rocked  gently,  like  a 
cradle.  A  boat  is  a  pleasant  place  in  which  to  rest  when 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


225 


people  are  tired.  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  glad  to  have 
a  holiday. 

But  the  people  began  to  miss  Jesus.  Some  one  looked 
over  the  water. 

“  There  is  the  Teacher  !  ”  the  word  spread. 

The  people  began  to'  follow  along  the  shore.  More  and 
more  joined  the  crowd. 

By  the  time  Jesus  and  his  disciples  reached  the  little  town 
near  which  they  intended  to  land,  they  found  that  the  people 
had  reached  there  first. 

There  was  no>  hope  for  a  holiday,  as  Jesus  had  planned. 
But  when  Jesus  saw  how  much  the  people  loved  him,  when 
he  learned  how  glad  they  were  to'  see  him  and  listen  to  him 
again,  he  was  sorry  for  them. 

“  They  seem  like  a  flock  of  sheep  without  a  shepherd/’  he 
said. 

Then  he  gave  up  his  holiday  and  began  to  talk  to'  them 
again.  They  listened  eagerly  to'  what  he  said. 

Jesus  healed  a  great  many  of  the  sick.  He  worked  all 
day  long  and  forgot  all  about  his  holiday. 

By  and  by  evening  came.  The  people  had  nothing  to  eat ; 
there  were  no  stores,  for  the  town  was  quite  a  distance  away. 

The  disciples  said :  “  Master,  the  day  is  gone,  and  the 
people  are  hungry.  Send  them  away  that  they  may  go  to 
the  village  and  buy  food  for  themselves.” 

“  They  need  not  go  away,”  said  Jesus.  “  Give  ye  them  to 
eat.” 

“  Why,  Master,  it  would  take  a  great  deal  of  bread  to  feed 
such  a  crowd,  even  to  give  very  little  to-  each  !  ”  said  one  man. 

Then  another  man  said,  “  Two  hundred  shillings’  worth  of 
bread  would  not  be  enough.” 

“How  many  loaves  have  you?”  asked  Jesus.  “Go  and 
see.” 

Andrew  went  to  find  out,  came  back  and  said :  “  There  is 
a  little  boy  here  who  has  five  loaves  and  two  small  fishes. 
But  what  are  they  among  SO'  many  ?  ” 

Jesus  said,  “  Make  the  people  sit  down.”  Then  all  the 
crowd  sat  down  on  the  grass ;  there  were  five  thousand  men 
and  a  great  many  women  and  children.  They  sat  in  groups, 
and  their  gay-colored  dresses  made  the  field  look  as  if  it  were 
covered  with  flowers. 


226 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LRSSONS 


Jesus  took  the  little  boy’s  five  loaves  and  two  fishes.  He 
asked  a  blessing  over  the  food.  Then  he  began  to  break  the 
bread  and  meat  into  pieces,  and  gave  to-  his  disciples  to  pass 
to  the  people.  In  some  wonderful  way  it  grew  more  and 
more  and  more;  the  hungry  people  ate  as  much  as  they 
wanted,  and  still  there  was  enough  to  go  round.  All  the 
great  crowd  ate  until  they  were  hungry  no  longer. 

When  the  meal  was  over  Jesus  said,  “  Gather  up  the 
pieces,’’  for  he  did  not  wish  tO'  have  a  crumb  of  good  food 
wasted.  And  the  disciples  filled  twelve  baskets  with  what 
remained. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  I  will  bless  Jehovah  at  all  times: 

His  praise  shall  continually  be  in  my  mouth.  .  .  . 

I  sought  Jehovah,  and  he  answered  me,  .  .  . 

This  poor  man  cried,  and  Jehovah  heard  him, 

And  saved  him  out  of  all  his  troubles.  .  .  . 

The  young  lions  do  lack,  and  suffer  hunger ; 

But  they  that  seek  Jehovah  shall  not  want  any  good 
thing.  .  .  . 

Jehovah  is  nigh  unto  them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart.” 

— Selected  from  Psalm  34. 

prayer  • 

Heavenly  Father,  thou  hast  promised  to-  help  those  who 
are  hungry,  or  sick,  or  afflicted,  or  in  trouble  of  any  kind. 
Help  us  to  remember  to  take  all  our  troubles  to  thee.  Amen. 

The  Lord’s  Prayer.  (Repeated  by  the  children.) 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Write  three  original  sentences  about  the  story. 

Make  a  drawing  or  a  cut-out  of  an  Oriental  boat. 

Make  a  poster  picture  of  a  seascape  containing  a  boat  on 
a  quiet  sea. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


227 


BLACKBOARD  DECORATION 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

JESUS  STILLING  THE  STORM 
Matthew  8:18,  23-27;  Mark  4:35-41 ;  Luke  8:22-25 

Memory  Verse 

“  Even  the  wind  and  the  sea  obey  him.” — Mark  4:41. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 
One  of  the  most  remarkable  things  about  the  Sea  of  Gali¬ 
lee  is  the  suddenness  of  the  storms  which  sweep  over  its 
waters.  This  is  easily  explained.  The  inland  body  of  water 
is  situated  at  a  very  low  area,  more  than  six  hundred  feet 


228 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


below  the  level  of  the  Mediterranean.  The  air  is  heated  and 
tropical.  When  the  winds  from  the  snow-clad  tops  of  the 
Lebanon  Mountains  come  sweeping  down  at  times  through 
the  hills  below  and  on  toward  the  lake,  it  is  as  if  they  were 
drawn  through  a  funnel.  They  strike  the  placid  waters  in 
fury,  and  the  surface  is  almost  instantly  lashed  into  great 
waves,  which  endanger  the  lives  of  those  who'  were  unhap¬ 
pily  caught  far  from  the  shore  in  the  little  ships  which  used 
to  be  constantly  seen  on  it. 

Such  a  storm  occurred  that  autumn  day  of  a.  d.  28  when 
Jesus  and  his  twelve  disciples  were  journeying  from  Caper¬ 
naum  to  the  other  side  of  the  sea  where  he  so  often  went 
when  he  was  weary  and  overtired  with  the  heavy  experi¬ 
ences  of  his  day’s  labors. 

The  labors  of  this  special  time  had  been  especially  trying, 
and  it  was  not  long  after  the  ship  had  been  launched  out  by 
the  strong  and  brawny  arms  of  the  disciples  so  well  ex¬ 
perienced  in  the  handling  of  oars,  that  the  Master  lay  down 
and  soon  had  fallen  into  the  deep  sleep  that  comes  to  the 
utterly  exhausted. 

The  sky  suddenly  darkened ;  the  little  ripples  were  turned 
into  monster  waves  which  swept  over  the  boat ;  the  foam 
splashed  over  the  sides ;  the  winds  whistled  and  roared.  But 
the  overweary  Sleeper  with  his  head  pillowed  upon  the 
leather-covered  wooden  seat  was  unroused  by  all  the 
commotion. 

The  disciples  did  not  disturb  their  Master  until  the  danger 
became  acute;  then  they  went  to  him  and  aroused  him  sud¬ 
denly  and  impetuously  with  exclamations  of  terror. 

He  responded  with  his  usual  calm  reassurance  and  then 
gently  remonstrated  because  of  their  lack  of  faith.  A  gentle 
word  of  rebuke  to  the  sea,  and  the  storm  ceased. 

Teaching  Suggestions 

* 

In  their  secular  school  work  the  pupils  will  probably  have 
heard  or  learned  some  of  the  classic  children’s  poems  about 
the  wind,  such  as  that  beginning  “  I  saw  you  toss  the  kites 
on  high,”  by  Robert  Louis  Stevenson  and  “  Who  has  seen 
the  wind?  ”  by  Christina  G.  Rossetti.- 

Perhaps  they  may  know  a  song  imitating  the  wind.  Use 
these  in  a  talk  about  the  wind  and  what  it  has  power  to  do. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


229 


Talk  about  the  sea  and  the  effect  the  wind  has  upon  the 
water. 


The:  Story 

A  short  sail  in  a  ship  across  the  sea  on  a  sunny  day ! 
What  could  be  pleasanter  or  safer? 

Jesus  and  his  twelve  disciples  planned  this  trip  together. 

Tho  day  was  balmy ;  the  sky  was  blue,  and  so  was  the 
water.  The  little  waves  rose  and  fell  so>  gently  that  the 
boat  rocked  like  a  cradle. 

“  Surely  our  tired  Master  can  rest  in  the  boat,”  thought 
the  twelve  men. 

They  had  been  with  him  as  he  healed  the  sick  and  made 
the  lame  to  walk,  and  had  opened  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  and 
had  done  all  manner  of  kind  things  for  the  people  who  fol¬ 
lowed  him. 

“  He  is  tired,”  they  said  one  to  another.  “  He  must  rest.” 

“  We  will  take  him  over  the  sea  in  the  boat,”  said  one  of 

them. 

“  He  may  sleep  while  we  man  the  boat,”  said  another. 

And  so  they  planned  for  the  Master. 

They  brought  the  boat  to  the  shore  and  Jesus  stepped  into 
it.  All  was  made  ready  for  the  trip,  and  willing,  brawny 
arms  started  the  boat  on  the  journey. 

A  gentle  wind  .pushed  against  the  big,  square  sail,  and 
away  they  slid  over  the  water.  Jesus  lay  down  in  the  stern 
of  the  boat.  It  was  not  very  long  before  he  was  fast  asleep. 

“  Our  Master  sleeps,”  said  one  man  to  another.  “  It  is 
a  good  thing;  he  will  be  rested  when  he  awakes,”  and  they 
were  quiet. 

But  presently  the  boat  began  to  rock  more  and  more.  The 
color  of  the  sea  changed  from  the  beautiful  blue  that  it  had 
been  all  day,  it  became  gray,  and  then  almost  black.  The 
wind  swept  down  from  far-away  mountains  and  struck  the 
waters  like  a  whip.  They  rose  furiously  and  lashed  over 
the  boat. 

Peter  and  the  other  disciples  knew  what  a  storm  on  the 
Sea  of  Galilee  meant ;  many  a  boat  had  been  sunk  there. 
Their  faces  grew  pale,  and  they  pulled  with  all  their  strength 
at  the  oars,  but  they  could  not  make  the  shore. 

And  all  this  time  Jesus  slept  on;  he  had  been  very,  very 
tired. 


230 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Presently  the  disciples  spoke  to  him.  One  of  the  men 
cried  :  “  Lord,  save  us  !  We  perish  !  ” 

“  Teacher,  carest  thou  not  that  we  perish  ?  ”  called  another. 
Some  one  else  exclaimed,  “  Master,  master,  we  shall  be 
drowned !  ” 

Jesus  woke  up.  “Why  are  you  afraid?”  he  said  to  his 
disciples.  “Do  you  not  believe  in  me?  Do  you  not  trust 
me  ?  ” 

It  seems  strange  that  these  men  who  had  been  with  Jesus, 
and  had  seen  the  wonderful  things  he  had  done  that  very 
day,  should  have  forgotten  so  soon. 

Jesus  rose  from  his  cushion  in  the  stern  of  the  boat.  He 
spoke  gently  to  the  wind  and  to  the  sea  and  said,  “  Peace,  be 
still !  ” 

The  wind  stopped  blowing ;  the  waves  became  quiet ;  the 
storm  was  over.  The  sea  obeyed  its  Master. 

“Why  were  you  so  afraid?”  asked  Jesus  as  he  turned 
toward  his  friends.  “  Why  could  you  not  trust  me?  ” 

The  disciples  were  filled  with  wonder  and  awe.  They  said 
amongst  themselves,  “  What  manner  of  man  is  this,  that 
even  the  winds  and  the  sea  obey  him  ?  ” 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 
“  God  is  our  refuge  and  strength, 

A  very  present  help  in  trouble. 

Therefore  will  we  not  fear,  though  the  earth  do  change, 
And  though  the  mountains  be  shaken  into  the  heart  of 
the  seas ;  • 

Though  the  waters  thereof  roar  and  be  troubled.” 

— Psalm  46:1-3. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  remember  this  story  when  we 
are  afraid  in  all  the  kinds  of  storms  that  come;  the  real 
storms  and  also  during  other  times  when  we  are  troubled. 
Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  cut-outs  or  drawings  of  Oriental  ships.  Mount 
boat  pictures  in  the  scrapbook. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS  231 

i 

A  Song  to  Teach  During  the  Week 


Boating 


S3. 


Alice  E.  Allen.  Adapted 

Andantino  grazioso 


C.  B.  Edmonds 


PE 


P 


:zn 


1.  Deep  and  slow,  wa  -  ters  flow, 

2.  Now  once  more,  dip  the  oar, 


m/ 


r- 


— |- - 

=± 

.eJ 

1  4k — 

i  x 

Con  Pedale 


f*T 


it 


s= 


r 


■«>- 


I.-fL 


r- 


'F  - 

— 1 - i 

~  "~i 

L,  ... 

— 1  4- 

-& - m — 

:j. ,  .. 

lja~± - 

— 1 - J-  F 

b  =fc£=l 

— * 

■ 

b- 

.  . 

Let  us  go  row-  ing,  you  and  I,  Let  us  go  row-  ing,  you  and  I. 

Let  us  be  la  -  zy,  you  and  I,  Let  us  be  la  -  zy,  you  and  I. 


Ped.  * 

From  the  “  Teacher’s  Edition  for  Elementary  Grades  of  the  New  Educational  Music 
Course."  Used  by  permission  of  Ginn  and  Company,  owners  of  the  copyright. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

A  STORY  OF  TEN  MEN  OF  SAMARIA 

Luke  17:11-19 
Memory  Verse 

“Jehovah  hath  done  great  things  for  us.” — Psalm  126:3. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Every  Jew  was  enjoined  to  attend  the  feast  of  passover, 
which  was  one  of  the  three  great  feasts  of  the  nation.  It 
began  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  Nisan.  It  was  held  in  com¬ 
memoration  of  the  escape  from  Egyptian  slavery. 

Jesus  was  passing  through  the  borders  of  Samaria  and 
Galilee  on  his  way  to  this  feast  when  the  incident  which 
forms  our  story  material  for  to-day  occurred. 

Samaria  is  a  country  of  beauty  and  of  great  fertility. 
It  is  composed  of  lovely  hills  and  valleys,  well-watered  and 
luxuriant.  At  this  time  in  history  there  were  beautiful  gar¬ 
dens  of  flowers,  groves  of  olives  and  walnuts  on  the  hill¬ 
sides,  and  wild  flowers  dotted  the  meadows. 

Upon  a  former  trip  through  the  country  Jesus  had  been 
received  with  kindness  and  hospitality,  even  with  eagerness ; 
but  upon  this  occasion  the  people,  like  the  citizens  of  Naz¬ 
areth,  were  hostile  toward  him,  and  he  had  to  proceed  like 
an  outcast  down  the  precipitous  and  rocky  valley  on  the 
borderland  between  Galilee  and  Samaria. 

Near  one  of  the  villages  he  heard  the  pitiful  outcry  of  ten 
lepers.  These  men  were  banded  together  by  a  bond  of  com¬ 
mon  misery,  the  dreaded  and  loathsome  disease  of  leprosy. 
They  were  not  permitted  to  enter  the  city  gates ;  they  could 
not  engage  in  any  gainful  occupation.  Everything  they 
touched  was  considered  polluted.  They  were  not  allowed  to 
approach  anyone  nearer  than  a  hundred  paces,  and  must 


232 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


233 


warn  those  who  came  their  way  by  the  dreary,  monotonous 
cry :  “  Unclean  !  Unclean  !  ” 

This  disease  was  peculiarly  a  figurative  representation  of 
sin,  and  those  who  suffered  from  the  misery  incident  to  it, 
always  roused  the  sympathy  of  the  Master  to  a  preeminent 
degree. 

In  the  present  incident  nine  of  the  men  were  Jews,  one 
was  a  Samaritan.  In  ordinary  circumstances  the  Samaritans 
and  Jews  would  not  mingle  because  of  social  and  national 
antagonism,  but  in  this  case  their  common  misery  had  broken 
down  these  barriers. 


Thl  Story 

It  was  the  springtime  of  the  year,  and  there  were  many 
things  for  which  to  be  thankful. 

The  barley  and  wheat  were  being  harvested,  and  there 
would  be  plenty  of  meal  with  which  the  mothers  could  make 
bread  and  cake. 

There  would  soon  be  figs  in  the  gardens,  and  almonds  in 
the  groves. 

There  was  food  enough  for  all  the  happy  little  girls  and 
boys  of  Samaria. 

But  there  were  ten  poor  men  who  did  not  think  that  they 
had  much  to  be  thankful  for.  They  were  beggars. 

They  lived  outside  the  city  wall,  and  they  never  dared  go 
inside  the  gates.  This  was  because  they  had  a  disease  called 
leprosy,  and  people  were  afraid  of  them. 

These  men  wore  ragged  clothing,  and  their  faces  were  sad 
and  wretched.  They  could  not  work,  because  they  were 
too  ill. 

When  passers-by  drew  near,  they  must  always  cry  out: 
“  Unclean  !  Unclean  !  ”  This  was  the  law. 

All  this  was  because  there  were  no  hospitals  with  good 
doctors  and  nurses  to  take  care  of  people  carefully,  even 
though  they  had  an  illness  that  was  contagious. 

The  good  cakes  and  bread,  the  figs  and  the  almonds  and 
the  dates  and  all  the  other  good  things  to  eat  would  mean 
little  to  these  ten  men.  They  were  too  poor  to  buy ;  and  they 
could  not  work  for  money,  even  though  they  might  want 
to  do  so.  Many  people  were  going  to  the  feast,  but  they 
would  not  go. 


234 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Sometimes  the  people  who'  passed  would  throw  them  a 
coin,  but  no  one  dared  go  very  near. 

Jesus  was  going  to  the  feast.  He,  too,  passed  by  the  city 
where  the  beggars  huddled  outside  the  gates. 

“  Unclean !  Unclean !  ”  called  the  ten  poor,  hoarse  voices. 

In  some  way  the  sick  men  had  heard  of  Jesus  and  his 
power. 

“Jesus,  Master,  have  mercy  on  us!  Jesus,  Master,  have 
mercy  on  us!  Jesus,  Master,  we  beg  of  thee,  help  us!” 
they  cried. 

Jesus  was  filled  with  pity  when  he  heard  the  hoarse 
voices,  and  saw  the  people  who'  were  suffering  and  so 
wretched.  He  knew  that  his  Father  had  sent  him  from 
heaven  to  help  these  ten  men ;  he  knew  that  God  loved  them. 

There  was  a  law  in  that  land  that  lepers  must  go  at  certain 
times  and  show  themselves  to  the  priests.  Jesus  said  to 
them,  “  Go  and  show  yourselves  unto  the  priests.” 

Just  as  soon  as  he  spoke,  they  turned  to  obey.  They  did 
not  stop  to  ask  questions  or  to  wonder,  but  went  immediately. 

Then  a  strange  thing  began  to  happen.  All  those  men  be¬ 
gan  to  have  new  feelings  come  into  their  sick  bodies !  Their 
skins  began  to  grow  healthy  and  well ;  their  tired  backs  be¬ 
gan  to  straighten ;  they  looked  younger ;  their  eyes  began  to 
brighten.  Jesus  had  answered  their  call;  he  had  made  them 
well.  They  were  lepers  no  longer ! 

Now  they  could  go  inside  the  city ;  they  could  get  work 
to  do.  They  need  not  call  out :  “  Unclean  !  Unclean  !  ”  when¬ 
ever  anyone  came  near  them.  They  need  be  beggars  no 
longer,  for  they  could  earn  a  living  for  themselves. 

Now  nine  of  those  men  went  on  their  way  very,  very 
happy,  and  much  excited.  But  one  turned  back.  He  fell 
at  Jesus’  feet  and  thanked  him.  With  a  loud  voice  he  began 
to  praise  God  for  what  he  had -done  for  him. 

His  heart  was  so  full  of  gratitude  that  he  could  not  help 
saying,  “  Thank  you.” 

Jesus  was  very  glad,  for  he  is  always  made  happy  when 
we  say  “  thank  you  ”  for  what  is  done  for  us. 

But  nine  of  the  men  did  not  come  back.  Jesus  said: 
“  Were  there  not  ten  healed?  Where  are  the  nine?  ”  Then 
he  gave  another  blessing  to  this  man,  for  he  forgave  his 
sins  and  said,  “  Arise,  and  go  thy  way.” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


235 


Devotional  Service 

a  bibee  reading  lesson 

“  I  will  cry  unto*  God  with  my  voice, 

Even  unto  God  with  my  voice;  and  he  will  give  ear 
unto  me. 

In  the  day  of  my  trouble  I  sought  the  Lord.” 

— Psalm  77  \  1,2. 

“  Jehovah  is  nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him.” 

— Psalm  145:18. 

“  Oh  give  thanks  unto  Jehovah.” — Psalm  105  a. 

PRAYER 

The  Lord’s  Prayer. 

Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  Bible  bookmark  using  the  last  verse  of  the  Bible 
Reading  Lesson. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

JESUS  RESTORING  LIFE  TO  A  LITTLE  GIRL 

Matthew  9:18,  19,  23-26;  Mark  5:21-24,  35-43;  Luke 
8 : 40-42,  49-56 

Memory  Verse 

“  fesus  of  Nazareth,  .  .  .  who*  went  about  doing  good.” 

—Acts  10:38. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

The  event  which  forms  the  lesson  story  for  to-day’s  les¬ 
son,  the  restoring  of  life  to  the  little  daughter  of  Jairus,  oc¬ 
curred  just  after  the  feast  given  by  Matthew  as  a  farewell 
to  his  friends.  Jesus  was  again  at  Capernaum,  and  Jairus 
was  an  important  man  of  the  town,  being  a  ruler  of  the 
synagogue.  Matthew  had  been  a  publican  of  Galilee,  and 
now  was  one  of  Jesus’  disciples. 


236 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Jesus  and  his  disciples  came  to  Matthew’s  feast  and  were 
criticized  by  the  Pharisees  for  sitting  down  at  meat  with 
“  publicans  and  sinners.”  These  strict  keepers  of  the  law 
were  greatly  offended  by  the  act. 

Jesus  wished  them  to  throw  aside  their  prejudices,  and  he 
took  up  the  foolish  notion  of  caste  and  talked  against  it  after 
the  meal.  While  he  was  talking  a  man  named  Jairus  ap¬ 
proached  him,  showing  by  his  emotion  that  he  was  suffering 
from  some  great  trouble.  He  fell  at  Jesus’  feet  and  ex¬ 
plained  that  his  only  little  daughter  was  dying.  He  appealed 
passionately  for  help,  exclaiming  that  he  was  sure  that  if 
Jesus  would  but  come  and  lay  his  hand  upon  her  head,  she 
would  live. 

Jesus  was  filled  with  compassion  for  the  suffering  father, 
and  immediately  went  with  him.  On  the  way  he  lost  a  bit 
of  time  by  the  coming  of  the  woman  who  pushed  through 
the  following  throngs  and  touched  the  hem  of  his  garment 
in  order  that  she  might  be  healed  of  a  disease  with  which 
she  had  been  afflicted  many  years. 

But  even  though  the  messengers  came  with  the  news  of 
the  death  of  the  child,  Jesus  reassured  the  father,  and  when 
the  home  was  reached  he  performed  one  of  the  miracles 
which  proved  that  his  power  extended  even  over  death. 

Teaching  Suggestions 

Review  the  simple  bits  of  geographical  knowledge 
the  children  have  gained  about  Capernaum,  Jesus’ 
city.”  Refer  to  its  position  on  the  map  or  make  use 
sand  table. 

Make  a  list  of  the  wonderful  things  that  Jesus  had 
to  do. 

The  Story 

A  little  girl  twelve  years  old  can  do  a  great  many  things 
to  please  her  father.  She  can  welcome  him  home  with  a 
smiling  face.  She  can  show  him  the  sewing  or  weaving 
that  she  has  been  learning  to  do  at  school.  She  can  recite 
her  lessons  to  him. 

Perhaps  some  day  she  can  surprise  him  at  mealtime  with 
a  cake  or  with  a  loaf  of  bread  that  she  has  made  with  her 
own  hands ! 


which 
“  own 
of  the 

power 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


237 


That  is  the  way  it  always  has  been — in  the  present  days, 
and  in  the  days  of  long  ago,  even  in  the  time  when  Jesus 
lived  upon  earth. 

There  was  a  certain  little  girl  of  twelve  years  who  lived 
in  Capernaum,  the  town  where  Jesus  lived.  Her  father 
was  one  of  the  great  men  of  the  city,  one  of  the  rulers  of  the 
synagogue.  His  name  was  Jairus. 

The  little  girl  was  Jairus’  only  daughter,  and  he  loved  her 
very  dearly. 

She  was  the  light  of  his  home.  He  was  proud  of  what 
she  did.  He  gave  her  everything  that  a  little  girl  could  have 
in  those  long-ago  days  in  the  city  of  Capernaum. 

But  one  day  all  the  household  was  thrown  into  confusion. 
The  little  girl  had  become  very  ill. 

The  father  did  all  that  he  could  to  help  her.  The  servants 
ran  to  and  fro  doing  his  bidding.  Everyone  was  anxiously 
trying  to  do  something  to  make  her  well. 

But  the  little  girl  grew  worse ;  indeed,  she  was  dying. 

Now  Jairus  knew  something  about  Jesus  who>  was  living 
in  Capernaum.  He  knew  of  many  of  the  wonderful  things 
that  he  had  done :  about  the  blind  men  whom  he  had  healed ; 
the  lame  people  he  had  helped  to  walk ;  the  sick  people  whom 
he  had  cured. 

He  ran  from  his  house  to  find  Jesus.  Jesus  had  been  to  a 
feast  at  the  house  of  a  man  who  loved  him.  At  that  time 
the  meal  was  over  and  he  was  talking  to  the  people. 

Jairus  pushed  through  the  crowd,  for  he  felt  that  there 
was  no  time  to  be  lost.  Then  he  fell  at  Jesus’  feet. 

“  O  Master,  my  little  daughter  lies  at  the  point  of  death. 
Indeed,  she  is  dying !  Come,  I  pray  thee,  and  lay  thy  hands 
upon  her ;  and  she  shall  live,”  he  pleaded. 

Jesus  saw  how  the  poor  father  was  suffering,  and  he  was 
sorry  for  him.  He  went  with  Jairus  toward  his  home. 

A  great  many  people  followed  after  them.  On  the  way 
Jesus  stopped  to  heal  a  poor  woman  who  had  been  sick  a 
long  time,  and  to  speak  kindly  to  her. 

But  even  though  this  took  such  a  short  time,  messengers 
came  running  from  Jairus’  home. 

“  It  is  not  worth  while  to  trouble  the  Master  any  further ; 
it  is  no  use.  Thy  daughter  is  dead,”  they  told  him. 

Jesus  turned  quickly  to  comfort  the  poor  father. 


238 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  Be  not  afraid ;  only  trust  me,”  he  said,  and  they  hur¬ 
ried  on. 

When  they  reached  the  house  many  people  had  already 
gathered  there.  They  were  mourning  and  weeping  with  loud 
voices,  as  people  always  did  in  those  days  when  death  came 
to  a  house. 

“  Why  make  ye  this  noise,  and  weep?  The  little  girl  is 
not  dead,  but  sleepeth,”  Jesus  said  to  the  crying  people. 

But  the  people  mocked  him.  They  said  that  they  knew  she 
was  dead. 

Then  Jesus  sent  all  the  people  away  except  his  disciples, 
Peter  and  James  and  John,  and  the  father  and  mother.  They 
went  into  the  room  where  the  little  girl  was  lying. 

The  Master  took  her  by  the  hand  and  said,  “  Maiden,  I 
say  unto  thee,  arise.” 

Then  life  came  back  into  the  little  girl’s  body.  The  color 
returned  to  her  lips  and  face.  She  rose  up  and  walked. 

“  Give  her  something  to  eat,”  said  Jesus  to  her  mother. 

The  news  soon  spread  through  the  house,  and  sorrow  was 
turned  to  joy. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBEE  READING  LESSON 

“  Great  is  Jehovah,  and  greatly  to  be  praised ;  .  .  . 

And  I  will  declare  thy  greatness.  .  .  . 

Jehovah  is  good  to  all; 

And  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works.  .  .  . 
They  shall  speak  of  the  glory  of  thy  kingdom, 

And  talk  of  thy  power ;  .  .  . 

Jehovah  is  nigh  unto'  all  them  that  call  upon  him, 

To'  all  that  call  upon  him  in  truth.  .  .  . 

He  also  will  hear  their  cry,  and  will  save  them.” 

— Selected  from  Psalm  145. 
prayer 

“  Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep : 

I  pray  thee,  Lord,  my  soul  to  keep ; 

If  I  should  die  before  I  wake, 

I  pray  thee,  Lord,  my  soul  to  take." 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


239 


A  POEM  TO  BE  REPEATED  EINE  AFTER  FINE 

“Jesus,  Friend  of  little  children, 

Be  a  Friend  to  me, 

Take  my  hand  and  ever  keep  me 
Close  to  thee. 

“  Never  leave  me,  nor  forsake  me, 

Ever  be  my  Friend, 

For  I  need  thee  from  life’s  dawning 
To  its  end.” 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  arrangements  to  send  a  gift  to  some  child  who  is  ill. 
Mount  pictures  in  the  scrapbook. 


CHAPTER  XXV 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

JESUS  DYING  AND  DIVING  AGAIN 
Mark  15:1,  25,  37,  43-47;  16:1-8 
Memory  Verse 

“  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also.’’ — John  14:19b. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

A  careful  consideration  of  the  selections  given  for  this 
lesson  will  show  that  great  thought  has  been  used  in  present¬ 
ing  to  the  Primary  children  the  story  of  the  supreme  ex¬ 
hibition  of  Jesus  “  using  his  power,”  the  power  to  bestow  his 
life  as  a  willing  sacrifice  for  us,  and  then  to  take  it  up  again. 
The  events  are  given,  yet  the  story  is  spared  the  details  of 
the  Roman  crucifixion.  The  supersensitive  child  should  not 
be  called  upon  to  endure  the  mental  stimulus  which  a  more 
detailed  description  would  produce.  The  more  phlegmatic 
nature  would  also  be  injured  rather  than  helped  by  a  vivid 
picturing  of  the  scene. 

However,  the  teacher  herself  should  make  a  careful  study 
of  the  whole  account  of  the  final  scenes  in  the  life  of  Christ 
upon  earth. 

Pontius  Pilate,  the  man  in  whose  power  it  was  to  decide 
whether  or  not  Jesus  was  to  be  crucified,  was  the  Roman 
governor  of  Judea.  Ever  since  he  had  sent  a  detachment  of 
soldiers  from  Caesarea  to  enter  Jerusalem  by  night,  carrying 
the  Roman  ensigns  with  decorations  of  the  silver  eagle  and 
other  insignia  of  the  Roman  emperor,  he  had  been  bitterly 
hated  by  his  Jewish  subjects.  He  was  haughty  and  cruel, 
and  typically  a  tyrant,  yet  he  was  secretly  afraid  of  the  Jews 
whom  he  knew  to  be  so  easily  aroused  by  one  who  had  no 
sympathy  with  the  religion  which  was  their  life. 

Although  the  palace  in  Jerusalem  was  a  marvel  of  luxury, 
he  hated  to  leave  his  home  in  Caesarea  for  even  a  temporary 

240 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


241 


residence  there  during  the  great  yearly  festival  of  the  pass- 
over  season.  This  was  deemed  a  necessity  because  of  the 
vast  throngs  that  had  come  from  all  parts  of  the  nation, 
emotionally  aroused  and  sensitive  because  of  the  great  sig¬ 
nificance  of  their  holiday. 

This  dwelling  place  was  on  the  north  side  of  Mount  Zion, 
and  was  a  magnificent  building.  Its  floors  were  paved  with 
rich  mosaics ;  its  walls  were  upheld  by  columns  of  marble ; 
fountains  played  in  the  gardens.  Within  was  gorgeous  fur¬ 
niture,  and  the  dishes  were  of  silver  and  gold. 

To  this  palace  of  Pontius  Pilate  Jesus  was  led  to  trial 
that  last  night  of  his  earthly  life.  Here  Pontius  Pilate  ex¬ 
amined  the  innocent  Prisoner  who  was  brought  before  him 
by  his  persecutors,  and  gave  utterance  to  what  was  his  own 
conviction,  “  I  find  no  fault  in  him.”  Yet  he  listened  appre¬ 
hensively  to  the  fanatical  outcries  of  the  subjects  whom  he 
feared  at  heart,  until  their  yells  of  “  Crucify  him !  Crucify 
him !  ”  brought  the  mastery,  and  he  consented  to  their  de¬ 
mand  with  a  grudging  acquiescence. 

Very  late  on  Thursday  night,  after  eating  the  passover 
supper  Jesus  and  the  eleven  faithful  disciples  rose  from  the 
table,  left  the  upper  room  where  they  had  been  keeping  the 
feast,  passed  out  of  the  city  gate,  over  the  brook  Kidron  be¬ 
yond  the  walls,  and  into  the  olive  garden  of  Gethsemane  on 
the  lower  slope  of  the  mountain,  where  Jesus  often  before 
had  gone. 

Asking  eight  of  his  disciples  to  wait  for  him,  he  took 
Peter  and  James  and  John  a  bit  farther  amongst  the  shadowy 
trees.  He  himself  went  still  deeper  into  the  Garden  to  spend 
this  season  in  prayer,  seeking  strength  from  his  heavenly 
Father  for  the  endurance  needed  to  meet  the  trials  which  he 
knew  so  well  were  in  store  for  him. 

He  was  interrupted  by  the  glaring  torches  carried  by  the 
band  of  searchers  led  by  Judas,  his  faithless  disciple  who 
had  left  the  Supper  for  the  purpose  of  betraying  his  Master. 

“  Whom  seek  ye?  ”  calmly  asked  Jesus  of  the  rough  men. 

“  Jesus  of  Nazareth,”  they  replied,  greatly  surprised  at  the 
unexcited  question. 

They  fell  backward  to  the  ground  in  amazement  when 
Jesus  without  fear  announced,  “  I  am  he.” 

From  that  time  on  through  the  night  events  followed  with 


242 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOU  LESSONS 


great  rapidity,  for  haste  was  necessary,  as  those  men  knew, 
if  their  monstrous  plans  went  through.  He  was  tried  before 
the  influential  Annas,  who  still  bore  the  title  high  priest. 
He  was  then  taken  bound  before  the  acting  high  priest, 
Caiaphas,  at  a  hurriedly  called  meeting  of  the  sanhedrin. 
Pilate,  the  Roman  governor,  pronounced  the  terrible 
sentence. 


The:  Story 

Jesus  had  a  great  many  friends  who  loved  him  very  dearly. 
That  little  girl  who  was  raised  from  the  dead  loved  him,  and 
so  did  her  father  and  mother. 

The  little  boy  who  gave  the  five  loaves  and  the  fishes  to 
Jesus  one  day  when  he  followed  in  the  crowd  after  Jesus, 
away  out  into  the  country,  loved  him. 

Mary  and  Martha  and  Lazarus  loved  him. 

Those  blind  men  whom  he  healed  loved  him  dearly ;  so  did 
the  lame  men. 

That  sick  servant  who  was  made  well  loved  him. 

Peter  and  James  and  John,  the  fishermen,  loved  him. 

A  great  many  boys  and  girls  loved  him.  They  proved  it 
that  day  when  they  passed  along  the  street,  waving  palm 
branches  and  singing  his  praises.  Every  child  that  he  took 
in  his  arms  loved  him,  and  he  loved  every  child  that  he  saw. 

But  there  were  some  people  who  did  not  love  him.  The 
Pharisees  did  not  believe  a  word  that  he  said,  and  they  hated 
him.  The  scribes,  who  thought  themselves  very  learned 
men,  also  hated  him. 

These  people  often  met  together  on  the  street  corners  and 
talked  about  Jesus,  nodding  their  heads  and  flashing  their 
eyes  as  they  told  evil,  untrue  stories  about  him.  Some  of 
them  met  together  in  the  palace  of  the  high  priest  and  made 
plans  to  take  him  a  prisoner  and  make  him  sufifer  pain. 

“  We’ll  get  this  Man  out  of  the  way,”  they  declared. 

Now  about  this  time  there  was  a  great  feast  and  holiday 
to  be  kept  in  Jerusalem.  It  was  called  the  passover,  and  all 
were  going  to  it,  even  the  twelve-year-old  boys.  Jesus  was 
going;  his  disciples  were  going. 

The  disciples  prepared  the  feast  in  an  upper  room,  and 
Jesus  and  his  twelve  friends  ate  the  Supper  together.  After 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


243 


the  meal  was  over  they  remained  for  a  long  time  round  the 
table,  and  Jesus  talked  to  them. 

By  and  by  Jesus  arose,  and  went  out  of  the  house  into  the 
street,  walked  beyond  the  city  gates,  crossed  over  a  little 
brook,  and  came  to  a  garden  of  olive  trees. 

“  Wait  for  me  here  while  I  go  farther  into  the  Garden  to 
pray,”  he  said  to  eight  of  his  friends. 

After  he  had  gone  a  bit  farther  he  said  to  Peter  and  James 
and  John  who  were  still  with  him:  “Wait  for  me  here. 
Watch  for  me,  and  pray,”  and  he  went  on,  amongst  the 
shadows  of  the  trees. 

Presently,  while  he  was  alone,  praying,  the  wicked  men 
came  for  him.  Judas,  one  of  his  own  disciples,  who  had  left 
the  Supper  table  before  the  others,  led  them  tO'  the  place 
where  he  knew  his  Master  could  be  found. 

A  band  of  Roman  soldiers  was  with  these  men,  and  they 
flashed  their  burning  torches  here  and  there  amongst  the 
shadows  of  the  trees. 

They  found  Jesus. 

“Whom  seek  ye?”  asked  Jesus  very  calmly,  for  he  was 
brave. 

“  Jesus  of  Nazareth,”  they  replied. 

“  I  am  he,”  answered  Jesus.  The  men  went  backward  and 
fell  to  the  ground  in  their  surprise  that  he  was  not  afraid. 

They  took  him  before  the  great  men  of  the  city,  and  told 
many  untruths  about  the  things  that  Jesus  had  done. 

Then  they  began  to  shout  over  and  over :  “  Crucify  him ! 
Crucify  him !  ” 

At  last  the  ruler,  Pontius  Pilate,  gave  him  over  to  the 
soldiers  to  be  crucified.  Jesus,  God’s  Son,  was  nailed  to  a 
cross,  and  put  to  death. 

A  good  man  named  Joseph,  who  loved  Jesus,  begged  for 
his  body,  after  he  was  dead,  and  he  and  other  friends 
wrapped  Jesus  in  a  clean  linen  cloth  and  buried  him  in  a 
new  tomb  in  Joseph’s  garden.  A  heavy  stone  was  rolled 
against  the  entrance  of  the  tomb,  and  it  was  sealed  tight. 

A  guard  of  Roman  soldiers  was  placed  there  to  watch. 

(Read  the  resurrection  story  to  the  children  as  given  in 
Mark  16:1-8.)  Make  comments  and  explanations  as 
needed.) 


244 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBL,E  READING  BESSON 

“  And  when  the  sabbath  was  past,  Mary  Magdalene,  and 
Mary  the  mother  of  James,  and  Salome,  brought  spices,  that 
they  might  come  and  anoint  him.  And  very  early  on  the  first 
day  of  the  week,  they  come  to  the  tomb  when  the  sun  was 
risen.  And  they  were  saying  among  themselves,  Who  shall 
roll  us  away  the  stone  from  the  door  of  the  tomb?  and  look¬ 
ing  up,  they  see  that  the  stone  is  rolled  back :  for  it  was 
exceeding  great.  And  entering  into  the  tomb,  they  saw  a 
young  man  sitting  on  the  right  side,  arrayed  in  a  white  robe; 
and  they  were  amazed.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Be  not 
amazed:  ye  seek  Jesus,  the  Nazarene,  who  hath  been  cruci¬ 
fied  :  he  is  risen ;  he  is  not  here :  behold,  the  place  where  they 
laid  him!” — Mark  16:1-6. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  this  most  wonderful 
of  all  the  things  that  Jesus  did  for  us.  Even  though  we  are 
little  and  do  not  understand  it  all,  we  are  old  enough  to 
know  that  he  loved  us  so  deeply  that  he  gave  his  life  for  us. 
Help  us  to  be  grateful  always,  and  to  repay  him  with  our 
love.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  class  poster  representing  some  phase  of  spring 
life.  Paste  pictures  of  spring  life  in  the  scrapbook. 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  WALK  TO  EMMAUS 
Luke  24  :13-35 
Memory  Verse 

“  The  Lord  is  risen  indeed.” — Luke  24 :34a. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

The  Resurrection  occurred  very  early  on  Sunday  morn¬ 
ing,  April  9,  a.  d.  30. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


245 


Mary  of  Magdala  was  the  first  to  whom  the  Saviour  ap¬ 
peared  when  she  uttered  her  appeal  to  the  Man  whom  she 
took  to  be  the  gardener.  “  O  sir,”  she  exclaimed  in  heart¬ 
broken  accents,  “  if  you  took  him  away,  tell  me  where  you 
have  laid  him.” 

“  Mary !  ”  replied  Jesus,  and  she  recognized  him. 

He  also  met  the  other  women  who  were  on  the  way  to 
the  tomb,  devoted  and  true,  and  greeted  them  with  the  ex¬ 
pression,  “  All  hail !  ” 

He  appeared  to  Peter,  but  the  account  of  what  happened 
is  not  given  to  us. 

The  story  for  to-day  concerns  the  third  appearance.  Two 
of  his  disciples  were  on  their  way  to'  Emmaus  when  he 
joined  them.  Emmaus  was  a  little  village  about  eight  miles 
from  Jerusalem;  the  exact  location  of  this  place  is  now 
unknown. 


Thl  Story 

It  was  springtime,  and  it  was  Sunday  afternoon.  In  the 
springtime  every  sunny  day  seems  more  lovely  than  the  day 
before.  The  grass  is  a  little  greener ;  the  flowers  are  a  little 
more  plentiful ;  and  the  birds  sing  a  little  more  sweetly. 

But  for  a  number  of  days  some  of  the  people  of  Jerusalem 
had  given  little  attention  to  the  coming  of  the  spring.  On 
Friday  a  terrible  thing  had  happened  there:  Jesus  had  been 
crucified  on  a  hill  just  beyond  the  city  gates. 

Everyone  in  Jerusalem- was  talking  about  it;  how  he  had 
been  arrested  by  the  soldiers  after  the  passover  feast;  how 
he  had  been  led  away  to  the  palace ;  how  he  had  been  tried ; 
how  so  many  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  had  cried : 
“  Crucify  him !  Crucify  him !  ”  because  they  hated  him ;  how 
he  had  been  mocked  by  the  soldiers ;  how  he  had  been  fast¬ 
ened  to  the  cross  and  crucified. 

Those  who-  loved  Jesus  had  mourned  ever  since  that  day. 

Cleopas  and  a  friend  were  among  those  who  loved  Jesus. 

“  Let  us  go  beyond  the  city  gates  and  walk  out  into  the 
country,”  they  said  that  Sunday  afternoon. 

So  they  started  out  into  the  springtime  beyond  the  great, 
crowded  city,  away  from  the  people  who-  so  lately  had  cried 
to  the  ruler  until  their  throats  were  hoarse,  “  Crucify  him !  ” 


246 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


As  they  walked  they  talked,  and  what  they  said  was  some¬ 
thing  like  this : 

“  The  world  does  not  seem  the  same  since  Jesus  is  not 
here,  Cleopas.” 

“  No,”  answered  Cleopas.  “  Why  did  they  want  to  kill 
him?  He  was  the  Friend  of  everyone.” 

“Peter  will  miss  him;  and  James  and  John  and  the 
others.” 

“  His  mother  went  to  the  home  of  John.” 

“  He  will  gladly  take  care  of  her.” 

“  Yes,  Jesus  gave  her  into  his  care.” 

“  The  tomb  where  they  laid  him  was  sealed,  and  a  guard 
of  soldiers  was  near.” 

Then  they  talked  about  a  wonderful  story  that  some 
women  told.  They  had  gone  to  the  grave  with  some  spices 
very  early  that  morning.  The  tomb  was  empty. 

“  The  women  said  that  he  had  risen  from  the  dead.  Mary 
said  that  she  saw  him ;  that  he  called  her  by  name.” 

They  talked  about  this  story  a  great  deal.  They  could  not 
believe  it  to  be  true.  They  were  too  troubled  and  earnest  to 
care  that  spring  had  come;  the  flowers  bloomed  and  the 
birds  sang  quite  unnoticed  by  the  two  sad  friends. 

Presently  a  Stranger  drew  near,  and  joined  them. 

“  Friends,  what  are  you  talking  of  ?  Why  are  you  so 
troubled  this  bright  spring  day  ?  ”  he  asked. 

The  men  were  so  surprised  at  this  question  that  they  stood 
quite  still.  Everyone  in  Jerusalem  knew  what  had  happened, 
and  was  talking  about  it. 

“  From  where  have  you  come?  How  could  you  have  been 
in  Jerusalem,  and  yet  not  know  about  the  things  that  have 
been  happening  there  ?  ” 

“  What  things  ?  ”  asked  the  Man. 

“  The  things  that  have  happened  to  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 
Did  you  not  hear  how  the  chief  priests  and  the  rulers  gave 
him  to  be  crucified  ?  We  had  hoped  that  he  had  come  to  be 
our  Lord  and  Saviour.” 

“  Yes,  all  this  happened  three  days  ago,  and  some  women 
went  to1  his  grave  with  spices  very  early  this  morning,  and 
they  found  that  his  body  is  gone.  They  told  a  wonderful 
story  about  some  angels  who  said  that  he  was  alive;  and 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


247 


others  went  and  found  that  the  women’s  story  was  true. 
Jesus’  body  is  not  there.  But  we  have  not  seen  him.’’ 

Then  the  Man  began  to  talk  to  them.  What  wonderful 
things  he  said !  They  never  before  had  heard  anything  like 
his  words.  He  explained  away  all  the  hard  things,  and  made 
everything  so  clear.  Their  faces  began  to  look  less  sad. 

By  and  by  they  came  to  Emmaus,  the  little  town  where 
they  had  been  going,  and  their  walk  was  over.  The  Stranger 
was  about  to  go  on. 

“  Oh,  come  in  and  stay  with  us,”  they  both  cried. 

They  could  not  let  him  go.  “  Come,  for  it  is  nearly 
evening ;  the  day  is  almost  gone.” 

“  Come  and  stay  with  us !  ”  they  begged. 

So  they  all  went  in  together.  The  friends  prepared  the 
evening  meal,  and  the  three  sat  down. 

The  Stranger  took  the  bread  and  blessed  it,  and  passed 
it  to  them. 

At  that  moment  a  new  light  came  into  their  eyes.  They 
looked  up  in  amazement.  This  was  no  stranger !  This  was 
Jesus ! 

The  story  that  the  women  had  told  was  true!  Jesus  was 
alive!  Jesus  had  risen  from  the  dead! 

Jesus  then  vanished  out  of  their  sight,  but  a  great  peace 
and  happiness  had  come  to  take  away  all  the  sadness  from 
their  hearts. 

They  rose  from  the  table,  hurried  back  to  Jerusalem,  and 
found  the  eleven  disciples  gathered  together. 

They,  too,  had  great  news  to  tell.  “  The  Lord  is  risen ! 
The  Lord  is  risen,  indeed,”  they  exclaimed.  “  Peter  has 
seen  him  !  He  has  appeared  to  Peter  !  ” 

And  then  the  two  men  told  the  story  of  their  wonderful 
walk. 

It  may  be  possible  with  some  classes  to  teach  a  verse  of 
the  familiar  hymn  “  Abide  with  Me.”  With  other  classes 
the  teacher  may  write  the  first  verse  upon  the  blackboard, 
and  read  and  explain. 

Abide  with  me :  fast  falls  the  eventide ; 

The  darkness  deepens ;  Lord,  with  me  abide : 

When  other  helpers  fail,  and  comforts  flee, 

Help  of  the  helpless,  oh,  abide  with  me. 

—Rev.  Henry  F.  Lyte. 


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Devotional  Service 

A  BIBEE  READING  LESSON 

“  Oh  give  thanks  unto  Jehovah;  for  he  is  good; 

For  his  lovingkindness  endureth  for  ever. 

Oh  give  thanks  unto  the  God  of  gods ; 

For  his  lovingkindness  endureth  for  ever. 

Oh  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord  of  lords ; 

For  his  lovingkindness  endureth  for  ever: 

To  him  who  alone  doeth  great  wonders ; 

For  his  lovingkindness  endureth  for  ever.” 

— Psalm  136:1-4. 


prayer 

Lord,  we  pray  that  thou  wilt  come  and  stay  within  our 
hearts,  and  be  with  us  always.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Copy  one  of  the  Bible  Reading  verses. 

Copy  the  blackboard  drawing. 

Mount  spring  pictures  in  the  scrapbook. 

Send  a  picture  postcard  with  a  glad  message  to  some  one 
who  would  be  cheered  by  it. 

Blackboard  Decoration 


CHAPTER  XXVI 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

JESUS  GOING  TO  THE  HEAVENLY  HOME 
John  14:1-3;  Luke  24:50-53;  Mark  16:19;  Acts  1:9 

Memory  Verse 

“  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.” — John  14:2. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Jesus  remained  on  earth  forty  days  after  the  resurrection 
and  during  that  time  he  appeared  ten  times  to  his  friends. 
He  even  permitted  his  body  to  be  touched  by  Thomas,  the 
disciple  with  the  characteristic  which  demanded  this  kind  of 
proof  of  Jesus’  power  over  death. 

A  glimpse  of  Thomas’  loyalty  is  given  in  that  remark  made 
at  the  time  Jesus  told  his  disciples  that  he  would  go  to 
Bethany  to  wake  Lazarus  from  his  “  sleep,”  a  place  very 
near  to  Jerusalem  where  the  Jews  had  so  recently  tried  to 
stone  him.  The  disciples  remonstrated  on  account  of  the 
personal  danger.  But  when  Jesus  continued  in  his  deter¬ 
mination,  Thomas,  with  an  intermingling  of  loyalty  and  pes¬ 
simism  exclaimed,  “  Let  us  also  go,  that  we  may  die  with 
him.”  Again,  at  the  Last  Supper,  we  have  a  picture  of 
Thomas’  difficulty  in  being  convinced  when  he  said  to  Jesus 
while  his  Master  was  picturing  the  joys  of  the  heavenly 
home,  “  Lord,  we  know  not  whither  thou  goest ;  how  can  we 
know  the  way  ?  ” 

There  are  many,  like  Thomas,  loving  and  loyal,  yet  mel¬ 
ancholy  and  hard  to  convince,  honestly  willing,  but  needing 
this  extra  proof  and  assurance  that  he  needed.  To  Thomas 
Jesus  gave  the  proof  of  touch. 

The  ascension  occurred  May  18,  a.  d.  30.  During  those 
forty  days,  the  appearances  were  as  follows : 

249 


250 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  women  visited  Jesus’  tomb  early  on  Sunday  morning, 
and  found  that  he  was  not  there. 

Jesus  appeared  to  Mary. 

Soon  afterwards  he  appeared  to  the  other  women. 

On  that  same  Sunday  he  also  appeared  to  two  disciples  on 
their  way  to  Emmaus. 

Sunday  afternoon  Jesus  appeared  to  Peter. 

Sunday  evening  he  appeared  to  the  disciples,  excepting 
Thomas  who  was  absent,  in  an  upper  room. 

A  week  later  he  appeared  to  the  disciples,  including 
Thomas. 

A  few  days  later  he  appeared  to  seven  of  the  disciples  who 
were  fishing  at  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 

He  appeared  to  many  of  his  friends  on  a  mountain  in 
Galilee. 

He  appeared  to  James. 

He  appeared  to  all  the  apostles. 

During  that  intimate  talk  just  after  the  Last  Supper  while 
Jesus  and  the  disciples  were  still  in  the  upper  room,  the 
Master  told  of  the  near  approach  of  his  return  to  the  heav¬ 
enly  home,  but  they  could  not  in  any  measure  understand 
his  words. 

The  actual  telling  of  this  story  must  of  necessity  take  little 
time,  as  so  few  of  the  details  are  given.  It  is  a  very  short 
story  with  a  very  big  meaning,  and  we  must  remember,  also, 
that  it  is  a  story  whose  personal  message  is  capable  of  appeal 
to  natures  as  widely  differing  as  quick,  impetuous  Peter  and 
slow,  despondent  Thomas.  It  is  full  of  comfort,  or  full  of 
joy  according  to  our  mood.  To  the  Primary  child  it  must  be 
told  very  simply  for  sake  of  the  story. 

The;  Story 

Forty  days  had  passed  since  Mary  went  to  the  garden  that 
spring  morning  and  came  out  with  face  all  glowing  with 
happiness  as  she  said,  “  Jesus  is  risen  from  the  dead!  ” 

That  same  Sunday  Peter  and  John  had  run  to'  the  grave 
and  come  away  with  great  surprise  in  their  faces  as  they  ex¬ 
claimed,  “  He  is  not  there !  ” 

Every  day  since  that  glad  Sunday  Jesus’  friends  had  talked 
about  what  had  happened. 

Peter  said:  “  I  know  that  Jesus  has  risen  from  the  dead, 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


251 


because  I  have  seen  him  with  my  own  eyes.  He  talked  to 
me.  I  have  talked  to  him..” 

“  I  could  not  believe,  at  first,”  said  Thomas,  who'  loved 
Jesus  very  dearly.  “  I  could  not  believe  that  even  our  Master 
could  live  again  after  he  had  been  nailed  to  that  cruel  cross. 
Even  when  I  saw  him  I  could  scarcely  believe.  But  he  let 
me  feel  the  nail  prints  in  his  hands ;  he  let  me  touch  the 
wound  in  his  side.  Then  I  believed.  Jesus  has  risen  from 
the  dead.” 

“  Oh,  I  believed  before  I  saw  him !  ”  said  John  who  loved 
Jesus  SO'  very  tenderly,  and  was  even  then  taking  care  of 
Jesus’  mother.  “  Peter  and  I  ran  to  the  grave  when  Mary 
told  me  her  story.  I  ran  so  fast  I  reached  there  first.  I 
waited  at  the  door,  but  when  Peter  came  he  went  within. 
I  believed  that  Jesus  had  risen  from  the  dead.” 

Once,  when  seven  of  the  disciples  were  fishing  in  the  Sea 
of  Galilee,  Jesus  appeared  and  called  them  to  the  shore. 
John  knew  him  first  and  cried,  “  It  is  the  Lord,”  and  Peter 
was  so  glad  that  he  left  the  ship  and  swam  tO'  the  shore  first. 

Near  Jesus  was  a  fire  of  coals,  with  fish  and  bread  baking 
upon  it,  and  Jesus  bade  them  come  and  eat.  Then  Jesus 
talked  lovingly  to  them. 

Another  day  he  appeared  to  his  disciples  when  they  were 
together  on  a  mountain.  It  was  very,  very  near  the  time 
when  he  was  to  leave  them  and  go  to  be  with  his  Father  in 
heaven. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  he  gave  them  his  “  good-by  ” 
word.  He  said,  “  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  the  whole  creation.”  He  wanted  his  disciples  to  go 
on  with  the  work  which  he  had  started”,  to  give  his  love  and 
the  Father’s  to  all  the  world. 

Forty  happy  days  had  passed,  and  then  Jesus  appeared  to 
them  for  the  last  time.  He  led  them  out  of  the  city,  up  the 
Mount  of  Olives  near  Bethany,  where  they  often  had  gone 
with  him  before  he  was  crucified. 

Then  he  lifted  up  his  hands  and  blessed  them;  and  as  he 
blessed  them,  and  while  they  were  looking  earnestly  at  him, 
he  was  parted  from  them  and  carried  up  into  heaven. 

He  went  back  into  heaven  to  live  in  his  Father  s  house, 
where  he  has  promised  that  all  who  love  him  and  believe  in 
him  shall  see  him  some  day. 


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Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth:  for  the  first 
heaven  and  the  first  earth  are  passed  away ;  .  .  . 

And  God  .  .  .  shall  wipe  away  every  tear  from  their 
eyes ;  and  death  shall  be  no  more ;  neither  shall  there  be 
mourning,  nor  crying,  nor  pain,  any  more :  the  first  things  are 
passed  away.  .  .  . 

The  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the  city  were  adorned  with 
all  manner  of  precious  stones.  .  .  . 

And  the  twelve  gates  were  twelve  pearls ;  each  one  of  the 
several  gates  was  of  one  pearl:  and  the  street  of  the  city  was 
pure  gold,  .  .  . 

And  they  shall  see  his  face.” 

— Selected  from  Revelation,  chapters  21,  22. 

PRAYER 

The  prayer  that  Jesus  taught  his  disciples. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Copy  the  butterfly  blackboard  decoration,  giving  to  the 
children  pieces  of  paper  suitably  shaped  for  bookmarks.  Ret 
the  children  copy  the  Memory  Verse  upon  the  reverse  side. 

Mount  pictures  in  the  scrapbook. 


Blackboard  Decoration 


ti&O’ 

s 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


253 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

PETER  AND  JOHN  AT  THE  BEAUTIFUL  GATE 
Matthew  28:18-20;  Acts  3:1-16 
Memory  Verse 

“  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if 
ye  have  love  one  to  another.” — John  13:35. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

The  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  occurred  May  18  of  a.  d. 
30,  fifty  days  after  the  passover  at  which  Jesus  was  cruci¬ 
fied.  This  incident  probably  happened  some  time  after  the 
Day  of  Pentecost ;  the  time  is  not  known  within  two  or  three 
years. 

Ever  since  the  day  when  Jesus  had  led  his  disciples  out 
toward  Bethany  and  had  given  them  his  farewell  commis¬ 
sion  :  “  Go1  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
the  whole  creation,”  they  had  been  ready  to  do  the  work  to 
which  the  remainder  of  their  lives  was  to  be  dedicated. 

Peter  and  John  were  at  Jerusalem,  and  had  gone  to  the 
Temple.  This  most  wonderful  building  was  the  pride  of 
every  Hebrew  of  Palestine.  Whenever  the  worshipers  ap¬ 
proached  the  broad  porch  they  looked  with  renewed  love  and 
interest  at  the  splendid  structure  which  towered  above  the 
city,  a  stronghold,  indeed,  at  the  summit  of  the  hill.  They 
gazed  with  awe  at  the  golden  gates,  the  great  stones  which 
had  been  prepared  with  such  skill  and  lifted  into  place  with 
such  expenditure  of  the  strength  of  those  who  had  lived  be¬ 
fore  them ;  at  the  stately  pillars ;  at  the  decorative  clusters 
of  golden  grapes  wrought  by  the  hands  of  cunning  work¬ 
men.  Gold  and  silver  and  brass  and  marble ;  fragrant  cedar 
wood  and  sumptuous  hangings  dyed  with  beautiful  colors ; 
all  that  labor  and  money  and  sacrifice  could  yield  were  com¬ 
bined  in  this  marvelous  building  that  crowned  Temple  hill. 

By  nature  Peter  and  John  differed  widely  from  each  other  ; 
yet,  as  such  opposites  often  are,  they  were  strongly  attracted 
to  each  other,  and  were  often  mentioned  together.  They  had 
one  purpose  at  heart,  to  be  faithful  and  loyal  to  the  Master 
who  so  recently  had  gone  from  them,  leaving  as  his  last 
message,  the  desire  that  his  work  should  be  continued. 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


These  two  friends  went  to  the  Temple  at  the  evening  hour 
of  prayer,  the  ninth  hour,  which  was  about  three  o’clock  in 
the  afternoon. 

At  the  gate  called  “  Beautiful  ”  they  saw  a  lame  beggar. 
This  man  was  forty  years  pld,  and  had  been  lame  from  birth. 
He  had  such  weak  ankles  that  he  was  unable  to  walk,  and 
was  carried  every  day  to  the  Temple  gate  where  he  could 
beg  from  those  who  passed  him  by. 

The  condition  of  these  helpless  and  unfortunate  people  of 
the  Orient  was  sad  indeed:  and  Peter  and  John  must  have 
been  reminded  instantly  of  the  many,  many  times  their 
Master  had  answered  the  pitiful  wails  so  similar  to  that 
which  greeted  their  ears  that  afternoon. 

Thl  Story 

It  was  three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon.  Up  at  the  Temple 
on  the  top  of  the  hill  the  priests  were  preparing  for  evening 
prayers.  The  silver  trumpet  could  be  heard. 

The  people  of  Jerusalem  were  gathering  at  the  Temple. 

Now  there  was  a  certain  poor  lame  man  living  at  Jerusa¬ 
lem  at  this  time.  He  never  had  walked  a  step  in  his  life. 
He  had  been  born  with  such  weak  ankles  that  he  could  not 
stand  up. 

It  must  have  been  a  great  disappointment  when  the  little 
baby  boy  tried,  as  other  babies  do,  to  lift  himself  and  try 
to  learn  to  walk. 

He  probably  had  many  a  tumble  and  many  a  bruise  before 
he  gave  up,  poor  little  child ! 

But  now  he  was  a  man  forty  years  old.  Many  other  men 
forty  years  old  had  houses  and  lands  and  vineyards  and 
gardens  and  fine  clothes  and  all  the  good  things  that  they 
were  able  to  get. 

This  man,  however,  had  none  of  these  things.  He  was 
poor,  a  beggar. 

Every  day  he  was  carried  to  a  place  near  the  gate  that 
they  called  Beautiful  at  the  entrance  of  the  Temple. 

Many  people  would  pass  him  on  their  way  to  prayers. 
They  would  see  him  and  be  sorry.  Some  would  toss  him 
a  coin. 

It  was  not  so  very  long  after  Jesus  had  gone  back  to  the 
heavenly  home.  Not  a  day  passed  that  Peter  and  John  and 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


255 


the  disciples  did  not  think  of  him.  They  loved  him  just  the 
same  as  they  had  when  he  was  with  them. 

They  talked  about  him.  They  remembered  the  last  wish 
that  he  made  before  he  left  them. 

“  Keep  on  with  my  work.  Help  as  I  helped.  Tell  every¬ 
one  about  me,”  he  had  said. 

Peter  and  John  were  going  to  prayers  that  afternoon. 
They  passed  by  the  Beautiful  Gate. 

They  saw  the  lame  beggar  sitting  there.  They  heard  him 
cry  :  “  Have  pity  !  Give  alms  !  ” 

As  Peter  and  John  drew  near  he  cried  to  them:  “  I  beg 
of  you,  take  pity  !  Give  me  alms !  ” 

Peter  and  John  stopped.  They  thought  of  Jesus  and  of 
what  he  so  often  had  done.  They  thought  of  his  good-by 
words. 

“  Look  on  us !  ”  said  Peter. 

The  man  looked  up,  expecting  to  receive  some  money. 

“  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none,”  said  Peter ;  “  but  what 
I  have,  that  give  I  thee.  In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Nazareth,  walk.” 

Then  Peter  took  the  lame  man  by  the  hand  and  lifted  him 
up,  and  immediately  his  feet  and  ankles  became  strong.  He 
stood  up  and  walked. 

How  happy  he  was!  Now  he  could  work  and  earn  his 
bread  !  He  need  be  a  beggar  no  longer ! 

He  followed  Peter  and  John  into  the  Temple  to  thank  and 
praise  God  for  the  wonderful  thing  that  had  come  to  him. 

All  the  people  crowded  about. 

“  Is  not  this  the  man  who  sat  by  the  Beautiful  Gate?” 
they  cried  in  amazement.  “  What  has  happened  ?  He  has 
been  lame  for  forty  years !  ” 

Peter  knew  that  this  was  the  time  to  say  something  for 
Jesus.  He  would  tell  these  people  about  Jesus  and  his 
power  and  his  love. 

He  knew  just  what  kind  of  people  these  men  were;  they 
had  heard  about  Jesus.  Many  of  them  hated  Jesus.  Some 
of  them  had  heard  the  crowd  call  out,  “  Crucify  him !  ”  that 
night  when  Jesus  was  taken  prisoner. 

But  Peter  was  brave  because  he  loved  Jesus. 

“  Why  do  you  wonder  at  this,  people  ?  ”  he  cried  out  to 
the  crowd.  “  Why  do  you  look  at  us  as  if  you  thought  that 


256 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


we  made  this  man  able  to  walk  ?  This  was  done  through  the 
power  of  Jesus.  God  sent  his  Son,  Jesus,  here  tO'  earth. 
You  did  not  believe  in  Jesus.  You  did  not  love  him.  You 
gave  him  to  the  rulers  to  be  crucified. 

“  Jesus,  God’s  Son,  was  crucified.  But  God  raised  him 
from  the  dead.  It  was  Jesus  who>  healed  this  man.  Jesus’ 
power  has  made  him  well  and  strong.” 

And  so  Peter  and  John  began  to  gO'  on  with  the  work  that 
Jesus  asked  them  to  do  for  him. 

Devotional  Service 
A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 
Words  that  Jesus  Spoke  to  his  Disciples 

“  He  that  believeth  on  me,  the  works  that  I  do  shall  he  do 
also.” 

“If  ye  love  me,  ye  will  keep  my  commandments.” 

“  This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one  another,  even 
as  I  have  loved  you.” 

— Selected  from  John,  chapters  14,  15. 

“  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
whole  creation.” — Mark  16:15. 

prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  there  is  a  great  deal  of  work  for  even 
little  children  to  do.  May  our  ears  be  quick  to  hear  calls  for 
help ;  may  our  hands  be  ready  to  do  something  for  those  who 
need.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

If  possible  send  some  class  gift  to  a  hospital  devoted  to 
the  care  of  little  lame  children. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

PHILIP  AND  THE  MAN  IN  A  CHARIOT 

Acts  8:26-38 
Memory  Verse 

“  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if 
ye  have  love  one  to  another/’ — John  13:35. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

The  “  helper  ”  whose  work  is  described  in  to-day’s  lesson 
was  Philip,  called  the  evangelist.  He  is  not  to  be  confused 
with  the  Philip  who  was  Jesus’  disciple.  He  was  one  of  the 
“  seven  men  of  good  report  ”  who1  were  chosen  to  look  after 
the  proper  administration  of  the  funds  devoted  to  the  care 
of  the  poor  widows,  as  described  in  Acts,  chapter  6. 

His  work  of  helping  and  teaching  in  the  city  of  Samaria 
is  also  described  in  Acts,  chapter  8.  Later,  his  home  at 
Csesarea  was  open  to  Paul  and  others  of  the  faith. 

Ethiopia  was  located  in  Africa,  south  of  Egypt.  At  that 
time  the  country  was  ruled  over  by  a  dynasty  of  women. 
Candace  was  the  general  title  used  for  the  ruler,  and  was  not 
the  individual  name  of  one  queen. 

The  “  man  in  the  chariot  ”  was  an  important  personage  in 
the  land,  a  man  connected  with  the  court  life. 

The  Ethiopians  were  of  the  black  race.  They  were  tall, 
“  men  of  stature,”  Isaiah  says.  They  were  merchants,  and 
took  their  wares  to  other  lands  beyond  their  own.  Their 
trade  made  them  wealthy. 

The  psalmist  wrote,  “  Ethiopia  shall  haste  to  stretch  out 
her  hands  unto  God.”  In  this  story  we  see  a  fulfillment  of 
that  prophecy. 


257 


258 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  Story 

It  was  summer  time,  and  the  day  was  hot.  A  man  named 
Philip  was  walking  along  a  road  which  was  especially  hot  in 
some  places,  because  it  was  a  sort  of  desert  place. 

There  is  little  shade  in  a  desert,  because  tall  trees  with 
overhanging  boughs  and  green  leaves  cannot  grow  in  such 
a  place. 

But  Philip  was  not  walking  along  that  hot  road  to  please 
himself.  Indeed,  he  had  not  chosen  the  walk  at  all. 

Before  he  started  a  voice  from  the  Lord  had  spoken  to 
him. 

“  Philip,  go  out  on  that  desert  road  that  runs  south  from 
Jerusalem,”  the  voice  had  said. 

It  was  not  very  long  after  Jesus  had  gone  to  the  heavenly 
home.  Philip  loved  Jesus;  he  remembered  that  last  wish 
that  Jesus  had  made;  “  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  the  whole  creation/’  Philip  wanted  to  be  one 
of  Jesus’  helpers.  He  wanted  to  help  to  go  on  with  his  work. 

He  did  not  know  just  what  Jesus  wanted,  but  he  went  right 
away  to  the  hot,  dusty  road  that  led  toward  the  south.  He 
went,  and  waited. 

Now  that  very  day  another  man  was  traveling  along  the 
same  dusty,  desert  road. 

He  was  a  colored  man,  and  his  home  was  in  a  far  country, 
many,  many  miles  from  the  land  where  Philip  lived.  It 
was  called  Ethiopia,  and  was  ruled  over  by  a  queen  called 
Candace. 

The  stranger  was  a  great  and  powerful  man  in  his  own 
country,  one  of  those  who  helped  in  the  queen’s  court. 

This  man  was  a  follower  of  the  true  God,  though  he  did 
not  yet  know  about  Jesus.  He  had  been  to  the  city  of  Jeru¬ 
salem  to  worship. 

He  had  been  to  the  wonderful  Temple  on  the  hill ;  he  had 
seen  the  city  walls ;  he  had  seen  the  people  in  the  streets. 
He  had  seen  all  the  sights.  Now  he  was  going  home. 

He  rode  in  a  chariot,  for  he  was  rich,  and  the  distance 
was  great. 

As  he  rode  along,  he  read  a  book.  That  is,  he  read  the 
words,  but  the  more  he  read,  the  more  puzzled  his  face  be¬ 
came.  He  could  not  understand  the  meaning. 

As  he  drew  near  with  his  chariot,  the  voice  of  the  Lord 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


259 


spoke  again  to  Philip:  “Hurry!  Philip!  Go  and  join  that 
man  riding  in  a  chariot.” 

When  Philip  came  close  enough  he  could  see  the  book. 

The  black  prince  read  aloud,  and  these  were  some  of  the 
words  that  he  said : 

“  He  was  led  as  a  sheep  to  the  slaughter ; 

And  as  a  lamb  before  his  shearers  is  dumb, 

So  he  openeth  not  his  mouth :  .  .  . 

His  life  is  taken  from  the  earth.” 

Philip  saw  the  man’s  puzzled  face.  He  himself  knew 
what  those  words  meant.  The  Book  was  part  of  the  Bible. 
The  words  were  about  Jesus,  God’s  Son;  Jesus,  who  had 
been  crucified  for  the  sake  of  others ;  who  had  risen  from 
the  dead  and  who  was  now  in  the  heavenly  home.  Philip 
knew  all  these  things. 

Philip  also  knew  then  why  the  Lord  had  told  him  to  go 
to  this  desert  road.  He  had  sent  him  to  help  this  black  prince 
to  understand  the  words  he  was  reading. 

“  Do  you  understand  what  you  are  reading?  ”  he  asked. 

“  How  can  I,  except  some  one  explains  to  me  ?  ”  answered 
the  prince. 

“  Do  you  know  what  they  mean?  If  you  do,  come  up  in 
my  chariot  and  sit  beside  me.  Explain  to  me,  I  beseech  you.” 

Philip  sat  beside  the  man. 

“  Who  is  meant  by  these  words  ?  Can  you  tell  me  ?  ” 

Then  Philip  told  him  all  the  story  about  Jesus:  about  his 
love,  how  he  came  to  earth,  how  his  life  had  been  taken 
away,  how  he  had  risen  from  the  dead,  and  now  was  in 
heaven. 

The  chariot  passed  by  a  spring,  or  a  stream  of  water.  The 
prince  said :  “  See,  here  is  water.  What  is  to  keep  me  from 
being  baptized?  ”  for  he  believed  every  word  that  Philip  said 
to  him,  and  took  Jesus  as  his  Saviour  and  Master. 

Then  he  commanded  the  chariot  to'  stand  still.  He  and 
Philip  went  down  to  the  water,  and  Philip  baptized  him. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  And  he  said  unto  them,  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  the  whole  creation.” — Mark  16:15. 


260  PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

“  And  every  day,  in  the  temple  and  at  home,  they  ceased 
not  to  teach  and  to  preach  Jesus  as  the  Christ.” 

— Acts  5 :42. 

“  And  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  spread  abroad  throughout 
all  the  region.” — Acts  13:49. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  this  message  of  love 
that  Jesus  brought.  We  thank  thee  that  it  was  for  all 
people.  We  thank  thee  that  it  has  been  told,  so  that  we  our¬ 
selves  know  it.  Help  us  to  be  willing  to  do  our  share  of  the 
telling.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Show  the  children  how  an  ancient  “  book  ”  was  made.  It 
was  called  a  “  scroll.”  It  was  a  long  strip  of  parchment 
upon  which  the  words  were  laboriously  written ;  each  end 
of  the  strip  was  fastened  upon  a  stick  and  then  wound  up. 
Illustrate  with  a  strip  of  paper  and  two  sticks  or  pencils. 
Let  the  children  make  a  “  scroll.”  Print  upon  it  Jesus’  fare¬ 
well  message  to  his  disciples.  (The  first  verse  of  the  Bible 
Reading  Lesson.) 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

PETER  AND  THE  ROMAN  CAPTAIN 
Acts  10:1-9,  17-48 
Memory  Verse 

“  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  that 
ye  have  love  one  to  another.” — John  13:35. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

In  to-day’s  lesson  we  find  Peter  located  at  Jafifa,  or  Joppa, 
thirty-five  miles  from  Jerusalem  and  the  scenes  so  lately 
familiar  to  him.  Why  was  he  here  ? 

He  was  making  good  progress  with  the  work  that  his 
Master  had  given  him  to  do.  He  had  made  circuits  of  the 
towns  round  about,  and  had  gone  to  Lydda,  where  his  teach¬ 
ing  and  his  remarkable  healing  power  became  noised  abroad. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


261 


Not  far  from  Lydda  was  the  city  of  Joppa.  At  this  place 
lived  Dorcas,  a  woman  noted  for  her  charitable  deeds  toward 
the  poor.  She  fell  sick  and  died.  Her  friends  heard  that 
Peter  was  in  the  near-by  town  of  Lydda  and  called  him  to 
come  to  their  help.  (Read  in  Acts,  chapter  9,  the  account 
of  her  restoration  to  life  by  Peter.) 

While  at  Joppa  Peter  went  to  stay  with  Simon  the  tanner, 
with  whom  he  “  abode  many  days.” 

Joppa  was  the  seaport  of  Jerusalem,  situated  on  the  Medi¬ 
terranean.  A  road  leads  out  from  the  town  to  the  city  of 
the  Temple. 

It  is  one  of  the  oldest  cities  of  the  world,  having  been 
founded  many  hundred  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ.  It 
was  a  city  of  great  importance,  since  it  was  the  gateway  by 
the  sea  out  of  and  into  Palestine  and  the  countries  beyond. 
Orchards  of  fruit — juicy  oranges,  olives,  and  many  other 
kinds — made  the  city  attractive.  The  houses  were  built  up 
the  rocky  eminence  that  rose  from  the  sea. 

In  the  days  when  Peter  sojourned  at  the  house  of  Simon 
the  tanner,  there  must  have  been  market  places  and  booths 
where  the  merchants,  clothed  in  their  flowing,  Oriental  robes 
of  bright  colors,  sat  cross-legged  in  front  of  their  wares, 
ready  to  bargain  and  argue  over  prices  as  has  been  the 
custom  for  centuries. 

Joppa  should  be  a  city  of  the  greatest  interest  for  the 
Christian  world,  as  it  was  here  that  the  story  of  Jesus  was 
so  clearly  given  the  beginning  of  its  journey  out  into  the 
Gentile  world.  (Read  the  story  of  Peter’s  vision  as  given  in 
Acts  10:9-20.)  This  vision  helped  Peter  to  understand  the 
full  significance  of  that  word  “  all,”  which  was  contained  in 
Jesus’  farewell  command. 

There  were  many  restrictions  regarding  food  which  the 
Jews  rigidly  enforced.  Read  Leviticus,  chapter  11,  which 
will  explain  Peter’s  point  of  view. 

Caesarea  was  a  beautiful  city,  about  forty  miles  north  of 
Joppa,  also  on  the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean.  It  was  a 
wealthy  town,  and  had  been  built  by  Herod  the  Great ;  it  was 
one  of  his  residences,  and  the  name  had  been  given  in  honor 
of  his  over-ruler,  Caesar  Augustus.  The  Roman  rulers  of 
Jesusalem  preferred  living  here  rather  than  at  Jerusalem. 

Cornelius,  the  centurion,  lived  here;  he  was  captain  over 


262 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


the  cohort  called  the  Italian  band.  These  men  had  all  been 
born  in  Italy. 

Cornelius  was  a  Gentile. 

The  Story 

It  was  noontime;  but  dinner  in  the  house  of  Simon  the 
tanner  was  not  quite  ready. 

The  home  of  Simon  the  tanner  was  in  Joppa,  by  the  sea. 
He  had  a  guest  at  his  house.  Peter  had  come  to  stay  there 
for  a  while. 

Peter  loved  the  sea ;  he  liked  to  hear  the  waves  beat  up 
against  the  shore  and  to  watch  the  boats.  He  liked  the  songs 
of  the  sailors  as  they  worked. 

All  these  sights  and  sounds  made  him  think  of  another 
sea,  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  where  he  used  to  fish;  where  he 
sometimes  sailed  with  Jesus  in  his  ship. 

This  was  not  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  but  the  great  Mediter¬ 
ranean.  Peter  was  a  stranger,  lately  come,  and  was  visiting 
at  the  house  of  Simon  the  tanner. 

For  a  number  of  years,  now,  he  had  been  carrying  Jesus’ 
message  from  place  to  place.  Peter  was  obeying. 

Dinner  was  not  quite  ready.  Perhaps  the  sea  air  had  made 
Peter  sleepy ;  perhaps  his  work  had  made  him  tired.  At 
any  rate,  he  went  up  on  the  housetop  where  it  was  cool  and 
pleasant,  to  wait,  and  as  he  waited,  he  fell  asleep  and 
dreamed  a  dream. 

He  thought  a  great,  big  sheet  was  let  down  by  its  four 
corners  from  heaven.  In  it  were  all  sorts  of  animals,  among 
them  animals  that  Jewish  people  had  been  taught  were  un¬ 
clean  for  food.  The  Jewish  people  were  also  inclined  to 
think  themselves  cleaner  and  better  than  other  people  round 
about  them. 

As  Peter  looked  at  the  sheet  full  of  animals  a  voice  from 
heaven  spoke,  saying,  “  Rise,  Peter ;  kill  and  eat.” 

But,  hungry  as  Peter  was,  he  remembered  the  laws  about 
clean  and  unclean  food. 

“Not  so,  Lord;  for  I  never  have  eaten  anything  that  is 
common  and  unclean !  ”  he  exclaimed. 

The  voice  said,  “  Do  not  call  unclean  and  common  that 
which  belongs  to  God.” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


263 


Three  times  this  was  done,  and  then  the  sheet  disappeared 
into  heaven. 

Peter  thought  a  great  deal  about  the  dream,  and  was  very 
much  puzzled. 

While  he  was  still  puzzling,  three  men  were  hurrying  to 
the  house  to  find  him.  They  knocked  at  the  door  and  asked 
for  Peter. 

“  Our  master  hath  sent  us,”  they  said.  Peter  saw  that  one 
of  the  men  was  a  soldier. 

“  Our  master  is  Captain  Cornelius.  He  lives  at  Caesarea, 
and  is  commander  of  the  Italian  band.  He  had  a  dream, 
yesterday,  and  was  told  by  an  angel  of  the  Lord  to  send  for 
you  to  come  and  talk  with  him.” 

The  messengers  told  Peter  how  good  their  master  was. 
“  He  fears  and  obeys  God ;  he  is  kind  and  generous  to  the 
poor,”  they  said. 

The  next  day  Peter  and  several  friends  started  on  the 
journey  for  the  home  of  Cornelius.  The  soldiers  and  the 
two  trusty  servants  led  the  way. 

They  reached  the  house  of  the  captain  the  following  day. 

Peter  entered  the  house,  and  Cornelius  fell  down  at  his 
feet. 

But  Peter  said,  “  Stand  up;  I  myself  also  am  a  man.” 

Then  he  began  by  saying:  “  You  know  that  it  is  an  unlaw¬ 
ful  thing  for  the  Jews  to  be  friends  with  other  people.  But 
God  has  just  shown  me  how  wrong  it  is  for  me  to  call  any¬ 
one  common.  So  I  have  come.” 

Captain  Cornelius  told  his  dream :  how  an  angel  had  told 
him  to  go  and  find  Peter  at  the  house  of  Simon  the  tanner. 

Then  Peter  told  the  captain  and  all  those  gathered  in  his 
house  the  beautiful  story  of  Jesus  and  his  love. 

Although  Cornelius  and  his  family  were  Gentiles,  he  knew 
that  the  story  was  for  them.  The  love  of  Jesus  belongs  to 
everyone  in  all  the  world. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy  which  shall  be  to 
all  the  people.” — Luke  2:10.  (Emphasis  on  the  word 
“all.”) 


264 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begot¬ 
ten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  should  not  perish, 
but  have  eternal  life.” — John  3:16.  (Emphasis  on  the  word 
“  whosoever.”) 

“  And  he  said  unto  them,  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  the  whole  creation.” — Mark  16:15. 

“  And  they  went  forth,  and  preached  everywhere.” 

— Mark  16:20. 

prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  may  we  remember  always  that  the  mes¬ 
sage  of  Jesus  was  not  a  selfish  message.  We  know  that  his 
love  is  wider  than  the  sea.  May  we,  too,  be  ready  to  help  in 
the  telling  of  it.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  an  impromptu  dramatization  of  the  story. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

PAUL  IS  TOLD  WHAT  TO  DO 
Acts  9:1-19;  22:3-16;  26 :9-ll 
Memory  Verse; 

“  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
whole  creation.” — Mark  16:15. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Paul  was  the  great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  He  was  born 
at  Tarsus,  the  capital  of  the  Roman  province  of  Cilicia. 
This  city  was  located  about  twelve  miles  from  the  sea.  It 
was  a  city  of  military  importance.  The  inhabitants  were 
mostly  Romans  and  Greeks ;  but  a  great  many  Jews,  also, 
settled  there  for  the  purpose  of  trade. 

Amongst  these  Jewish  families  were  the  parents  of  Paul, 
then  called  Saul.  They  were  Pharisees,  and  his  father  was 
a  Roman  citizen,  enjoying  the  great  privileges  which  this 
fact  bestowed. 

Their  boy’s  education  began  at  the  age  of  six.  When  he 
was  older,  he  was  sent  to  Jerusalem,  and  sat  “  at  the  feet  of 
Gamaliel,”  one  of  the  greatest  teachers  amongst  the  Jews  at 
that  time. 

It  was  also  the  custom  for  Jewish  parents  to  see  that  their 
children  were  taught  some  useful  trade,  and  Paul’s  trade  was 
that  of  tent-making  and  weaving.  This  became  of  great  use 
to  him  in  after  life. 

Paul  was  present  at  the  stoning  of  Stephen,  so  he  was  in 
Jerusalem  shortly  after  the  time  of  the  crucifixion  of  Jesus, 
though  we  do  not  know  that  he  ever  actually  saw  the  Saviour. 

Damascus,  the  city  to  which  Paul  was  bound  on  this 
memorable  occasion,  was  the  oldest  city  in  the  world.  It  is 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  Jerusalem.  It 

265 


266 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


is  made  beautiful  and  fertile  by  the  waters  of  the  two  rivers 
Pharpar  and  Abana.  The  approach  to  it  is  through  a  desert. 

The  Story 

One  hot  day  a  group  of  men  traveled  along  a  dusty  road. 
They  had  a  long  journey  before  them,  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles.. 

They  were  going  from  Jerusalem  to  Damascus,  and  these 
two  cities  were  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  apart. 

The  leader  of  the  men  was  Saul.  His  face  was  not  very 
pleasant  to  look  at,  sometimes,  because  he  was  thinking  such 
wicked  and  angry  thoughts. 

He  carried  a  letter  in  the  girdle  round  his  waist,  and  he 
was  very  careful  not  to  lose  it.  It  was  a  very  cruel  letter. 

It  gave  this  man  the  right  to  go  to  Damascus  and  hunt  for 
the  people  who  loved  Jesus,  and  to  punish  them  and  hurt 
them. 

It  was  not  many  years  since  Jesus  had  gone  back  to 
heaven,  but  his  message  of  love  had  reached  further  each 
year.  A  good  many  people  who  loved  Jesus  had  gone  to 
Damascus  to  live,  because  they  thought  that  they  would  be 
safer  there. 

In  many  places  it  was  not  safe  for  Jesus’  friends  to  live 
in  those  days. 

As  Saul  put  the  letter  in  his  belt  he  said  to  himself :  “  I 
will  chain  those  followers  of  Christ,  now  that  this  letter  gives 
me  the  right  to  hunt  for  them.  I  will  drag  them  from  their 
houses !  I  will  take  them  out  of  their  churches !  I  will  bind 
them  and  bring  them  back  to  Jerusalem  to  be  punished ! 

“  These  followers  of  Christ  shall  not  live !  ”  he  fumed  and 
threatened  as  he  rode  along.  “  Men  and  women  shall  die !  ” 

And  so  he  traveled  along,  getting  nearer  and  nearer  to  the 
city  of  Damascus. 

The  city  itself  was  very  beautiful;  the  rivers  that  flowed 
through  it  made  it  one  of  the  loveliest  spots  in  the  world. 
But  the  road  that  Saul  was  traveling  was  a  desert ;  the  sand 
was  dazzling,  and  the  rays  of  the  sun  beat  down  with  hot 
fury. 

Noontime  came,  and  Saul  should  have  rested  until  the 
cooler  part  of  the  day ;  but  he  was  anxious  to  begin  his 
wicked  work.  The  sooner  he  could  find  those  people  and 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


2  67 


bring  them  back  in  chains  to  be  punished,  the  better  he  would 
be  pleased. 

As  he  hurried  along,  suddenly  a  bright  light  darted  out 
from  heaven.  It  struck  Saul  and  he  fell  to  the  earth. 

Then  he  heard  a  voice  saying,  “  Saul,  Saul,  why  perse- 
cutest  thou  me  ?  ” 

Saul  answered,  “  Who  art  thou,  Lord  ?  ” 

“I  am  Jesus  whom  thou  persecutest:  but  rise,  and  enter 
into  the  city,  and  it  shall  be  told  thee  what  thou  must  do.” 

The  stunned  and  frightened  men  that  were  with  Saul  were 
speechless ;  they  heard  the  voice,  but  saw  no'  one. 

Saul  rose  from  the  earth,  but  he  found  that  he  was  blind, 
quite  blind.  The  men  led  him  by  the  hand  into  the  city. 
There  he  remained  without  sight  for  three  days,  wishing 
neither  to  eat  nor  to  drink.  But  Saul  thought :  oh,  how  many 
things  he  had  to  think  about ! 

There  was  a  good  Christian  man  living  in  Damascus  whose 
name  was  Ananias ;  God  said  to  him  in  a  vision :  “  Arise, 
and  go  to  the  street  which  is  called  Straight,  to  the  house  of 
Judas,  and  ask  for  a  man  named  Saul  of  Tarsus.  Behold, 
he  prayeth ;  he  hath  dreamed  that  thou  hast  come  and  laid 
thy  hands  on  him  to  give  him  back  his  sight.” 

Ananias  was  afraid,  for  he  had  heard  of  Saul. 

He  said,  “  Lord,  I  have  heard  about  this  man,  and  what 
he  did  to  thy  people  at  Jerusalem.”  But  God  still  told  him 
to  go,  and  he  obeyed. 

Ananias  found  Saul  and  laid  his  hands  upon  him,  saying, 
“  Brother  Saul,  Jesus,  who  appeared  to  thee  in  the  way,  hath 
sent  me  that  thou  mayest  receive  thy  sight,  that  thou  mayest 
believe  in  him  and  become  his  follower.” 

Immediately  the  scales  fell  from  Saul’s  eyes,  and  he  re¬ 
ceived  his  sight.  He  arose  and  was  baptized.  Then  he  ate 
some  food  and  was  strengthened. 

And  Saul  never  did  what  he  had  come  to  the  city  to  do; 
from  that  time  he  gave  his  heart  to  Jesus.  He  spent  the  rest 
of  his  life  in  telling  the  message  of  Jesus. 

Devotional  Service 
A  BIBEE  READING  LESSON 

“  Let  love  of  the  brethren  continue. 

Forget  not  to  show  love  unto  strangers. 


268 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Remember  them  that  are  in  bonds,  .  .  .  them  that  are  ill- 
treated. 

“  Jesus  Christ  is  the  same  yesterday  and  to-day,  yea  and 
for  ever.’’ — Hebrews  13:1-3,  8. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  see  how  the  love  of  Jesus 
takes  evil  from  the  heart  and  replaces  the  evil  with  that 
which  is  good  and  kind  and  loving.  Help  us  to  remember 
that  this  love  of  Jesus  is  for  everyone,  and  may  we  watch 
for  opportunities  for  spreading  his  message.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse,  or  one  of  the  Bible  Reading 
verses.  If  possible  send  a  class  contribution  to  some  mission 
field. 

This  might  take  the  form  of  something  for  creature  com¬ 
fort  and  also  the  message  of  Tesus.  Paste  pictures  in  the 
scrapbook. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

PAUL  IN  AN  ANGRY  MOB 
Acts  19:1,  23-41 
Memory  Verse 

“  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
whole  creation.” — Mark  16:15. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

The  story  selected  for  to-day  in  illustration  of  our  theme 
is  the  account  of  Pauhs  encounter  with  the  mob  stirred  up 
by  Demetrius  and  his  angry  fellow  craftsmen  who  sold  silver 
shrines  of  the  heathen  goddess  Diana  at  Ephesus. 

Ephesus  was  a  city  of  Lydia  in  Asia  Minor.  It  was  an 
important  town  in  that  it  was  located  at  the  junction  of  sev¬ 
eral  trade  routes.  Many  Jews  resided  there.  It  was  a 
heathen  community  whose  divinity  was  Diana,  a  goddess  of 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


269 


nature.  A  magnificent  temple  had  been  erected  in  her  honor. 
Her  image  was  supposed  to  have  fallen  from  heaven. 

The  silversmiths  of  Ephesus,  amongst  them  Demetrius, 
who  seems  to  have  been  the  leader  of  a  sort  of  trade-union, 
made  silver  models  of  this  shrine  and  conducted  a  lucrative 
business  by  their  sale. 

The  month  of  May  was  devoted  especially  to  festivities 
connected  with  the  worship  of  the  goddess,  and  people  gath¬ 
ered  from  far  and  near  to  engage  in  the  celebration.  An  un¬ 
usually  large  harvest  was  reaped  by  the  shrine  makers,  and 
the  merchants  who  sold  the  shrines  at  the  booths  as  me¬ 
mentos  of  the  festival. 

Paul  was  at  Ephesus  at  this  time,  spreading  the  gospel, 
teaching  and  baptizing.  He  taught  in  the  synagogue  for 
three  months,  and  afterwards  in  the  school  of  Tyrannus  for 
two  years.  Opportunity  was  thus  given  for  the  message  of 
Jesus  to  be  widely  spread  throughout  the  vicinity,  and  many 
heard  and  believed. 

To  such  an  extent  was  this  the  case  that  the  sale  of  the 
silver  shrines  at  the  holiday  season  was  affected.  This  stirred 
up  the  silversmiths,  incited  by  Demetrius,  who  appealed  to 
them  from  two  standpoints :  their  business  and  their  religion. 
Their  business  he  mentioned  first. 

Throughout  the  terrifying  episode  Paul  acquitted  himself 
as  a  brave  messenger  of  the  Master  whom  he  served. 

The:  Story 

It  was  May  in  the  city  of  Ephesus,  the  loveliest  time  of 
the  year.  Everyone  who  was  able  in  all  the  country  round 
about  was  going  to  the  city  to  have  a  good  time. 

There  were  to  be  games  of  all  sorts.  There  would  be  fun 
and  laughter.  The  streets  would  be  crowded.  There  would 
be  plenty  to  eat. 

And  the  temple!  The  great,  wonderful  temple  would  be 
decorated  for  the  holiday. 

But  this  temple  was  not  God’s  house.  It  was  a  shrine  to 
the  goddess  Diana.  Ephesus  was  a  heathen  city.  Most  of 
the  people  worshiped  the  goddess  and  believed  in  her. 

Outside  the  temple  were  booths  filled  with  little  silver 
shrines  made  to  look  like  the  wonderful  temple  where  the 
idol  goddess  was  kept. 


270 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Hundreds  and  hundreds  of  these  little  silver  buildings 
had  been  made  by  the  silversmiths  to  sell  to  the  people  who 
came  to  the  Maytime  holiday. 

“  Silver  shrines  of  Diana !  Diana,  our  goddess !  Come 
buy !  Come  buy !  Come  buy  a  silver  shrine !  ”  the  men  at 
the  booths  would  call. 

“  Do  not  go  home  without  buying  a  silver  shrine !  Diana 
our  goddess!”  And  for  years  and  years  the  people  had 
bought ;  no  one  would  leave  the  city  without  a  silver  shrine. 

Often  these  shrines  were  taken  to  those  at  home  who1  could 
not  come  to  the  city.  Probably  many  and  many  would  say 
their  prayers  to  these  silver  shrines  that  were  nothing  at  all 
but  make-believes. 

When  the  Maytime  was  over  and  the  silversmiths  counted 
their  money,  they  would  smile  with  satisfaction  as  they  said, 
“  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians !  ” 

Year  after  year  they  grew  richer  and  richer.  Year  after 
year  poor  people  who  knew  no  better  said  their  prayers  to 
a  silver  goddess  in  a  silver  shrine  who  could  neither  see  nor 
hear  nor  help  them. 

But  one  May  things  were  different.  The  silversmiths 
made  just  as  many  silver  shrines.  The  men  at  the  booths 
cried  just  as  loudly.  But  not  nearly  so  many  of  the  silver 
shrines  were  sold. 

There  were  just  as  many  people  passing  the  booths,  but 
the  silver  shrines  were  not  bought.  What  could  the  mat¬ 
ter  be? 

Presently  a  man  named  Demetrius,  one  of  the  chiefs  of 
all  the  silversmiths,  called  his  fellow  workers  together.  He 
began  to  talk  to  them. 

“  Sirs,”  he  said,  “  This  is  our  business ;  this  is  the  way  we 
get  our  wealth !  Our  business  is  going  to  pieces,  and  I  have 
found  the  reason. 

“  There  is  a  man  named  Paul  who  has  come  to  our  city, 
and  he  has  been  talking  to  the  people.  He  says  there  are  no 
gods  that  are  made  with  hands.  He  has  been  teaching  and 
preaching  and  turning  the  people  against  us. 

“  He  has  turned  the  heads  of  many  of  the  people  by  say¬ 
ing  that  there  are  no  gods  made  with  hands.  This  Paul  will 
spoil  our  trade! 

“  Not  only  is  there  danger  that  the  man  will  spoil  our 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


271 


trade,  but  he  may  turn  the  people  against  the  great  goddess, 
Diana,  and  make  the  temple  of  no  account.  The  great 
temple  !  The  great  goddess  !  The  whole  world  worships  at 
her  shrine !  ” 

All  the  silversmiths  were  filled  with  wrath.  Everyone  be¬ 
gan  to  shout. 

“  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians !  Great  is  Diana  of  the 
Ephesians !  ” 

The  people  throughout  the  city  took  up  the  cry.  They 
yelled  until  their  throats  were  hoarse ! 

For  two  hours  they  shouted,  “  Great  is  Diana  of  the 
Ephesians !  ”  The  city  was  in  an  uproar. 

What  Demetrius  had  said  was  true.  A  brave  man  named 
Paul  had  left  his  home  beyond  the  seas  and  had  come  to 
Ephesus  to  tell  about  Jesus  and  about  the  love  of  the  one 
true  God.  He  was  obeying  Jesus’  last  command,  “  Go  ye  into 
all  the  world.” 

The  message  of  Jesus  was  for  the  people  of  Ephesus,  too. 
Paul  had  traveled  through  many  dangers  to  come  to  tell 
them. 

Some  of  the  people  were  beginning  to  believe  in  Jesus, 
and  to'  love  him.  Some  would  never  buy  another  silver 
shrine.  Some  would  never  say  another  prayer  to  a  silver 
goddess  made  with  hands. 

Paul  heard  the  shouts  of  the  angry  people,  “  Great  is 
Diana  of  the  Ephesians !  ”  For  two  long  hours  he  listened. 
His  life  seemed  in  danger ;  but  he  trusted  the  Master  whom 
he  served  to  take  care  of  him. 

The  mob  seized  two  friends  of  Paul.  Paul  tried  to  go 
to  speak  to  the  angry  people,  but  his  friends  held  him  back. 

“  Do  not  show  yourself !  ”  they  begged.  “  It  is  not  safe.” 

Everyone  screamed  something,  even  though  he  did  not 
know  why  he  was  crying.  Everything  was  in  confusion. 

A  man  named  Alexander  tried  to  stop  the  shouting,  but 
all  to  no  purpose. 

At  length  the  voices  were  hoarse ;  they  were  nearly  gone. 
The  town  clerk  saw  his  chance.  He  rose  and  began  to  speak. 

“  Men  of  Ephesus,”  he  said,  “  everyone  knows  how  great 
is  Diana ;  how  great  is  her  wonderful  temple.  Does  not 
everyone  know  that  her  image  fell  down  from  the  skies? 

“  Everyone  knows  all  this,  so  be  quiet !  Do  nothing  rash  ! 


272 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  These  men  are  neither  robbers  of  temples  nor  blas¬ 
phemers  of  our  goddess. 

“  If  Demetrius  and  the  silversmiths  have  a  grievance,  let 
them  go  to  the  courts.  Keep  out ! 

“  You  are  in  danger  of  getting  into  trouble  by  this  day’s 
riot!  There  is  no  cause  for  it.  You  cannot  be  excused.” 

The  people  were  quieted.  They  had  something  to  think 
about.  They  began  to  go  away ;  more  and  more  went  to 
their  homes.  By  and  by  the  crowd  had  melted  away. 

Paul,  the  helper  of  Jesus,  was  safe;  his  Master  had  taken 
care  of  him  so  that  he  could  go  on  with  his  work. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

(Explain  that  these  words  were  taken  from  a  letter  which 
Paul  once  wrote  to  the  friends  in  Ephesus.) 

“  Let  all  bitterness,  and  wrath,  and  anger,  and  clamor,  and 
railing,  be  put  away  from  you,  with  all  malice:  and  be  ye 
kind  one  to  another,  tenderhearted,  forgiving  each  other, 
even  as  God  also  in  Christ  forgave  you.” 

— Ephesians  4:31,  32. 

“  Children,  obey  your  parents  in  the  Lord  :  for  this  is  right. 
Honor  thy  father  and  mother  (which  is  the  first  command¬ 
ment  with  promise.) — Ephesians  6:1,  2. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  the  example  of  the 
brave  men  who  carried  the  message  of  Jesus  in  those  days 
long  ago.  Help  us  to  be  willing  to  have  some  part  in  the 
telling  of  thy  love.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse,  or  one  of  the  Bible  Reading 
verses. 

Try  to  do  some  specially  brave  thing  for  Jesus  this  week. 

Mount  pictures  about  spring  life  in  the  scrapbook. 


THE  CHILDREN  OF  THE  WORLD  FOR  JESUS 


CHAPTER  XXIX 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

SEEKING  THE  LOST  SHEEP 
Luke  15  :3-7 

Memory  Verse 

“  Rejoice  with  me,  for  I  have  found  my  sheep  which  was 
lost.” — Luke  15:6b. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

For  several  weeks  we  are  to  consider  the  theme,  “  The 
Children  of  the  World  for  Jesus,”  endeavoring  to  make  clear 
the  facts  of  the  wideness  and  the  universality  of  the  love  of 
Jesus,  and  also  of  the  needs  of  children  the  wide  world  over, 
children  who  do  not  yet  know  of  his  love. 

We  are  to  show  the  pupils  how  the  helpers  of  Jesus  are 
still  carrying  on  his  work,  and  how  even  they,  in  their  small 
way,  may  have  a  part  in  this  endeavor. 

The  lessons  under  the  theme  will  alternate.  First  there 
will  be  a  Biblical  lesson  showing  the  pervasiveness  of  Jesus’ 
love  and  the  love  of  the  Father ;  then  will  be  given  a 
lesson  making  the  pupils  acquainted  with  some  of  their  little 
neighbors  in  far-off  lands  and  mission  fields,  and  also  with 
some  of  the  less  fortunate  who  live  near  at  hand.  Thus  will 
be  awakened  an  interest  in  the  needs  and  well-being  of  these 
children,  and  a  feeling  of  responsibility. 

The  lessons  introducing  child  life  in  other  lands  will 
correlate  admirably  with  the  work  being  done  in  the  secular 
schools,  and  in  many  sections  the  teachers  will  be  surprised 
to  find  the  amount  of  knowledge  already  possessed  by  their 
pupils.  Take  advantage  of  this,  draw  out  this  knowledge, 
and  build  upon  it. 

The  lesson  chosen  for  to-day  is  the  story  of  the  Lost 
Sheep,  which  Jesus  told  to  illustrate  his  love  for  those  who 

275 


276 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


are  the  less  fortunate  of  the  world,  the  unprivileged,  even  the 
outcasts.  By  means  of  this  story  he  explained  his  position 
clearly. 

Jesus  was  constantly  followed  by  gatherings  of  these  peo¬ 
ple  who  heard  his  teachings  gladly.  The  law  as  interpreted 
by  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  forbade  association  with  these 
outcasts,  and  from  their  point  of  view,  a  lapse  meant  sin. 

The  self-righteous  upper  classes  prided  themselves  upon 
their  exclusiveness,  and  when  they  saw  Jesus  with  the  people 
whom  they  despised,  teaching  them,  healing  them,  even  eat¬ 
ing  with  them,  they  were  highly  incensed,  and  added  this  to 
the  long  list  of  offenses  with  which  they  were  charging  him. 
This  was  really  much  to  their  own  satisfaction  and  gratifica¬ 
tion. 

Jesus  understood  their  attitude,  and  exposed  and  de¬ 
nounced  it.  To  illustrate  his  point,  he  told  the  story  of  the 
Lost  Sheep,  thus,  as  was  so  often  his  custom,  using  an  in¬ 
cident  drawn  from  the  everyday  life  round  about  him,  an 
incident  with  which  both  he  and  his  hearers  were  perfectly 
familiar. 

When  you  tell  this  story  add  enough  of  the  everyday  life 
of  the  Oriental  shepherd  to  make  the  story  more  intelligible 
to  the  children  who  are  not  familiar  with  it ;  tell  of  the 
sheepfold ;  of  the  way  in  which  the  shepherds  led  their 
sheep ;  of  the  several  accessories  which  the  shepherd  always 
carried,  such  as  the  crook,  club,  and  bottle  of  oil ;  of  the  go¬ 
ing  forth  to  pasture ;  of  the  return ;  of  the  way  the  sheep 
were  counted  as  they  passed  through  the  narrow  door  of 
the  fold ;  of  the  naming  of  the  sheep ;  of  their  love  of  the 
shepherd  because  he  loved  them  and  was  good  to  them. 

Bring  out  very  clearly  why  Jesus  told  the  story,  what 
he  meant  to  show. 

Before  the  session  make  a  sketch  upon  the  blackboard  of 
one  or  more  sheep,  using  as  a  copy  the  picture  given  at  the 
end  of  the  lesson.  A  teacher  who  has  trained  herself  to 
make  the  simple,  bold,  large  sketches  of  the  few  objects 
which  so  clearly  emphasize  the  life  in  the  Orient  will  find 
that  she  has  added  a  most  important  asset  to  her  power 
of  awakening  curiosity  and  interest,  and  of  holding  atten¬ 
tion.  These  little  sketches  are  also  extremely  instructive, 
and  are  the  means  of  adding  clearness  to  the  verbal  picture. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


277 


Study  the  outline  pictures  that  are  furnished  from  time 
to  time.  Practice  from  the  copy,  then  without,  using  the 
fewest  possible  lines  to  produce  your  picture.  A  very  rest¬ 
less  class  will  often  be  captivated  by  the  use  of  pictures. 

Tell  something  of  the  great  numbers  of  sheep  that  were 
found  in  the  land  where  Jesus  lived;  how  they  were  to  be 
seen  in  the  meadows  and  on  the  hillsides.  Jesus  saw  them, 
and  once  he  told  a  beautiful  story  about  them. 

Give  the  purpose  of  the  story  in  some  such  way  as  the 
following : 

There  were  a  great  many  poor  people  in  the  land  where 
Jesus  lived,  and  Jesus  never  turned  any  one  of  them  away 
from  him.  He  loved  them,  and  always  wanted  to  help  them. 
Never  had  the  poor  and  the  sick  and  the  troubled  had  such 
a  Friend.  He  comforted  them;  he  healed  their  sickness;  he 
told  them  his  glad  message  of  love. 

After  a  while,  when  he  went  from  place  to  place,  they 
followed  him,  for  they  were  grateful,  and  they  loved  him. 

Now,  in  that  same  land,  out  in  the  country,  in  the  mead¬ 
ows  and  on  the  hillsides,  there  were  a  great  many  sheep. 
Sheep  follow  after  their  shepherd,  and  are  grateful  for  his 
goodness,  and  they  love  him. 

When  Jesus  saw  the  people  following  after  him,  he  was 
reminded  of  the  shepherds  and  their  sheep,  which  he  so 
often  had  seen. 

But  not  all  the  people  in  that  land  loved  Jesus  and  fol¬ 
lowed  after  him  like  sheep.  There  were  some  men  called 
scribes  and  Pharisees  who  thought  themselves  very  wise  and 
good.  They  thought  themselves  far  better  than  the  poor 
people  who  listened  to  Jesus  so  gladly,  and  who  loved  him 
and  followed  him.  They  hated  Jesus,  and  they  hated  the 
poor  people  ;  they  were  angry  whenever  they  saw  the  crowds. 

The  scribes  and  Pharisees  were  selfish ;  they  wanted  the 
best  of  everything  for  themselves.  They  were  selfish  even 
with  the  love  of  God,  and  did  not  want  to  share  it. 

Jesus  came  to  teach  unselfishness ;  he  came  to  show  that 
the  love  of  God  is  for  everyone. 

One  day  a  group  of  these  selfish  scribes  and  Pharisees 
were  talking  with  Jesus.  They  told  him  that  he  was  break¬ 
ing  the  law  by  letting  these  people  stay  with  him  so  closely, 
and  especially  when  he  went  to  their  houses  to  eat  a  meal. 


278 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Then  Jesus  told  a  beautiful  story  about  some  sheep. 

The  Story 

Once  there  was  a  shepherd  who  had  a  hundred  sheep  in 
his  flock. 

He  built  a  sheepfold  for  his  sheep.  It  was  something 
like  this.  (Draw.)  There  was  a  fence  made  of  stones,  and 
on  the  top  he  placed  prickly  briers  to  keep  out  the  wolves 
and  the  bears.  At  one  end  was  a  narrow  door  through  which 
the  sheep  could  pass,  one  by  one. 


When  the  weather  was  very  cold  or  stormy  the  sheep 
could  be  quite  comfortable  within  the  fold.  The  shepherd 
and  his  dog  kept  watch  near  by. 

Now  this  good  shepherd  loved  his  sheep.  He  had  given 
each  a  name.  There  were  Curly  Horn  and  Black  Foot  and 
Blue  Eyes  and  good  old  Mother  Sheep,  and  all  the  others. 

The  sheep  knew  the  voice  of  their  shepherd,  and  would 
come  to  him  when  he  called  them  by  their  names. 

But  the  sheep  would  not  answer  the  voice  of  a  stranger ; 
no,  not  even  if  he  dressed  himself  in  the  good  shepherd’s 
coat  and  tried  to  mimic  his  voice. 

When  the  shepherd  led  his  sheep  out  to  pasture,  he  car- 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


279 


ried  a  long  crook  like  this.  (Draw.)  It  was  made  of  a 
branch  of  olive  wood,  and  the  end  was  bent  round  like  this. 
(Show.)  He  used  his  crook  to  reach  far  into  the  flock,  and 
sometimes  to  draw  a  little  sheep  from  danger. 

One  day  the  good  shepherd  started  out  with  his  sheep  for 
the  pasture ;  all  the  hundred  were  there. 

He  led  them  to  the  places  where  the  greenest  grass  could 
be  found,  and  to  the  clear,  cool  streams  of  water  when  they 
were  thirsty. 

When  it  was  time  to  return  to  the  fold,  he  called  them  to 
him,  and  led  them  back  again. 

They  passed  through  the  narrow  door,  one  by  one.  The 
shepherd  talked  to  them,  and  petted  them.  If  any  little  lamb 
had  cut  its  feet  on  the  sharp  stones,  he  poured  oil  on  the  hurt 
place. 

He  counted  as  they  passed  in — one,  two,  three !  He 
counted  until  he  came  to  the  last — ninety-nine ! 

Ninety-nine!  But  there  should  be  one  hundred!  He 
counted  again.  One  was  missing! 

Now  the  way  was  long,  and  the  shepherd  was  tired.  But 
he  forgot  all  that;  he  fastened  the  door  of  the  fold  and  went 
back  to  hunt  for  his  poor,  lost  sheep.  Perhaps  it  was 
fastened  in  the  briers ;  perhaps  the  wolves  would  get  it.  The 
shepherd  clutched  his  club. 

He  peered  over  the  rocks ;  he  looked  in  the  shadows.  He 
looked  everywhere.  He  called  until  the  echoes  rang. 

Presently  he  heard  a  weak  little  “  Ba-a-a !” 

He  called  again ;  the  little  sheep  answered. 

He  followed  the  voice.  Poor  little  Wandering  Sheep  had 
strayed  away  from  the  others ;  he  was  all  alone,  crying  for 
his  shepherd. 

The  shepherd  reached  down  among  the  rocks  with  his 
long  crook,  and  tenderly  lifted  his  little  sheep  up. 

He  was  cut  and  bruised  and  trembling  with  fright.  He 
was  hurt  by  the  fall.  He  was  hungry  and  miserable. 

The  shepherd  spoke  his  name  so  tenderly ;  then  he 
gathered  the  sheep  in  his  arms  and  carried  him  all  the  way 
back  to  the  fold. 

When  he  reached  home,  he  called  to  his  friends  and  his 
neighbors :  “  Come  rejoice  with  me  !  I  have  found  my  sheep 
which  was  lost!” 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 
THE  STORY  OF  THE  LOST  SHEEP  IN  BIBLE  WORDS 

“  What  man  of  you,  having  a  hundred  sheep,  and  having 
lost  one  of  them,  doth  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the 
wilderness,  and  go  after  that  which  is  lost,  until  he  find  it? 
And  when  he  hath  found  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders, 
rejoicing.  And  when  he  cometh  home,  he  calleth  together 
his  friends  and  his  neighbors,  saying  unto  them,  Rejoice 
with  me,  f®r  I  have  found  my  sheep  which  was  lost.” — 
Luke  1 5 :4-6. 


prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  this  beautiful  story 
that  Jesus  told.  May  it  make  us  more  unselfish.  May  it 
make  us  very  anxious  to  help  in  the  spreading  of  the  mes¬ 
sage  of  thy  love.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Set  up  a  sheepfold  on  the  sand  table. 

Make  sheep  cut-outs. 

Make  a  class  poster  in  silhouette  of  an  Oriental  shepherd 
and  his  flock. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS 
Luke  15:3-7  (Review  and  Apply) 

Memory  Verse 

“  Let  the  peoples  praise  thee,  O  God ; 

Let  all  the  peoples  praise  thee.” 

• — Psalm  67 :3 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


281 


The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

Review  the  story  of  the  Lost  Sheep,  emphasizing  promi¬ 
nently  the  truths  that  the  story  was  intended  to  show :  the 
fact  that  the  Father’s  love  is  to  be  given  to  all,  and  that  it  is 
especially  tender  toward  the  less  fortunate.  Make  the  state¬ 
ment  that  little  Indian  boys  and  girls  are  among  those  to 
whom  the  love  of  God  is  to  be  carried. 

As  was  said  in  the  preceding  lesson,  many  of  the  chil¬ 
dren  have  been  taught  much  about  the  Indians  in  the 
secular  schools,  and  will  be  glad  to  tell  what  they  remem¬ 
ber  of  these  lessons. 

The  handwork  in  connection  with  the  lesson  will  be  par¬ 
ticularly  interesting  to  them,  and  they  will  be  fully  equal  to 
the  problems  you  give  them. 

Let  us  remember  that  there  is  a  natural  hunger  to  know 
about  God  in  the  individual  which  has  its  beginning  very 
early  in  life ;  and  that  in  our  studies  of  the  primitive  races 
of  man,  we  find  this  same  instinct. 

“  What  is  God  ?”  “  What  are  we  ?”  “  What  is  our  re¬ 

lation  to  God  ?”  These  questions  are  “  first  ”  questions,  and 
there  is  a  yearning  wonder  for  the  answers.  Little  children 
can  easily  understand  this  longing  for  the  truth  in  the 
primitive  races  which  so  strikingly  resembles  their  own 
sometimes  subconscious  questionings. 

We  have  been  answering  these  questions  by  means  of  the 
stories  in  the  Bible  given  by  God  for  the  answers.  Now  we 
take  our  pupils  a  step  further :  “  What  is  our  relation  to 
those  in  the  world  round  about  us  ?”  “  What  is  our  duty  in 
regard  to  the  needs  and  questionings  and  longings  of  our 
fejlow  men?” 

Stories  about  the  apostles  as  they  carried  out  Jesus’  last 
command  begin  the  answer ;  and  with  these  stories  that  fol¬ 
low,  we  bring  the  child  into  dawning  consciousness  of  his 
own  duty,  and  of  his  wonderful  opportunity. 

Many  of  you  who  are  teachers  in  secular  schools  or  who 
are  familiar  with  the  work  and  the  courses  of  study,  know 
that  Longfellow’s  “  Hiawatha  ”  is  the  classic  that  is  used 
to  present  Indian  life  to  the  children.  Its  peculiarly  beauti¬ 
ful  and  appropriate  rhythm,  its  simplicity,  accuracy,  its  re¬ 
markably  vivid  word  pictures,  its  truthfulness  to  the  primi- 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


tive  life,  its  fullness  in  the  presentation  of  the  manners  and 
customs  of  the  Indians,  its  lists  of  musical  Indian  names — 
all  these  and  many  other  features  make  it  admirably  adapted 
to  the  need  which  it  so  long  has  served. 

A  stirring  Indian  story  showing  strikingly  the  inborn 
longing  for  “  God  ”  has  been  adapted  from  “  Winning  the 
Oregon  Country,”  by  John  T.  Faris. 

This  story  takes  us  back  to  the  early  days  when  Marcus 
Whitman  and  his  company  blazed  the  trail  to  that  wonder¬ 
land  of  the  West,  taking  with  them  the  white  man’s  “  Book 
of  Heaven  ”  in  response  to  the  longings  of  the  Nez  Perces. 

Let  us  bear  in  mind  the  fact  that  our  purpose  is  primarily 
to  tell  how  God’s  message  of  love  has  been  and  still  is  be¬ 
ing  taken  to  these  people  who'  need  it.  In  this  our  work  dif¬ 
fers  from  that  of  the  teacher  of  the  secular  school  whose 
primary  purpose  is  to  instruct  in  the  manners  and  customs 
of  these  people.  But  with  her  work  we  should  correlate  ours, 
and  one  should  supplement  the  other. 

The  Story 

It  was  the  Fourth  of  July,  more  than  eighty  years  ago, 
away  out  west,  in  the  land  where  scarcely  anyone  but  Indians 
lived. 

Seven  white  people  had  come  hundreds  and  hundreds  and 
hundreds  of  miles  from  their  homes,  and  now  had  stopped  to 
rest  awhile. 

Three  Indian  boys  were  traveling  with  them. 

Nowadays  no  one  would  think  of  traveling  as  those 
people  were  traveling.  There  was  a  spring  wagon  for  the 
two  women,  but  the  stronger  of  the  two  generally  rode  on 
horseback.  The  two  husbands  also  rode  on  horseback,  and 
with  them  rode  a  friend  who  had  accompanied  them  on  their 
long  journey. 

Then  came  two  teamsters  with  wagons  filled  with  things 
to  eat,  blankets,  and  tents. 

After  these  followed  the  three  Indian  boys  who  chattered 
together  like  magpies. 

They  were  helpful  boys,  for  they  could  explain  to  the 
wild,  unfriendly  looking  Indians  who  often  passed  that  these 
were  the  great,  wise  medicine  men  and  their  wives  from  the 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


283 


East  who  had  come  to  help  their  people,  and  to  bring  them 
the  white  man’s  “  Book  of  Heaven.” 

For  many,  many  moons  the  Indians  of  that  far  western 
land  had  wanted  the  white  man’s  “  Book  of  Heaven.” 

There  were  very  few  white  men  living  in  that  land,  but 
some  of  the  old  Indians  had  heard  of  the  wonderful,  won¬ 
derful  Book.  It  told  about  the  great  God  of  the  white 
man,  and  of  the  home  in  heaven  where  he  lived.  It  told 
many,  many  things  that  the  Indians  wanted  to  know. 

The  old  men  talked  about  the  Book  as  they  sat  at  the 
doors  of  their  wigwams  and  smoked  their  peace  pipes.  The 
mothers  wondered  about  it  as  they  wove  pictures  about  the 
Great  Spirit  in  the  blankets  they  were  making. 

Even  the  little  children  had  heard  their  fathers  and  grand¬ 
fathers  talk  of  this  wonderful  Book  that  would  help  them 
to  grow  wise  as  the  white  men  were. 

Now  these  travelers  from  the  East  had  heard  how  the 
Indians  longed  for  the  Bible.  They  loved  Jesus  and  knew 
his  command,  “  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  the  whole  creation.”  They  had  the  Bible  with 
them,  and  were  on  their  way  to  take  it  to  the  Indians.  This 
is  the  reason  that  they  had  left  their  homes  and  had  come 
on  the  long  journey. 

“  Let  us  rest  awhile  on  this  Fourth  of  July,”  they  said. 

So  they  stopped,  spread  their  blankets,  and  unfurled  an 
American  flag.  Then  they  knelt  down  and  thanked  God  for 
bringing  them  so  far  in  safety,  and  asked  him  to  help  them 
the  rest  of  the  way. 

Then  on  they  went.  Every  little  while  a  band  of  wild 
Indians  would  pass  them  by.  But  the  boys  would  say: 
“  These  are  the  good  Medicine  Men  from  the  East.  They 
have  come  to  bring  the  white  man’s  Book  of  Heaven.” 

By  and  by  the  travelers  came  near  to  the  end  of  their 
journey,  the  land  by  the  Big-Sea-Water.  It  was  a  land  of 
great  forests,  in  which  lived  many  wild  animals  which  the 
Indian  fathers  hunted  with  their  bows  and  arrows. 

The  Big-Sea-Water  was  filled  with  fish  which  the  fathers 
caught  and  the  mothers  cooked.  There  was  plenty  to  eat  in 
that  land  called  Oregon:  fish  and  meat  and  roots  and  ber¬ 
ries.  There  were  warm  robes  made  of  the  skins  of  the  buf- 


284 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


falo  and  other  wild  animals.  There  were  blankets  which  the 
mothers  wove. 

The  little  boys  and  girls  had  coats  of  skin  and  mittens 
and  shoes  of  fur. 

The  mothers  made  these  things,  sometimes  working  with 
little  baby  brother  or  sister  strapped  to  their  backs. 

As  the  strangers  from  the  East  looked  toward  the  land 
where  they  were  going,  they  saw  some  Indians  on  horses  rid¬ 
ing  furiously  toward  them.  The  horses  plunged  and  snorted. 
The  strangers  were  frightened. 

“  But  look !”  said  one  of  the  Indian  boys.  “  See  the 
white  flag !” 

“  The  white  flag  comes  first/’  said  another. 

“  The  white  flag  means  friends  !”  said  the  third. 

On  came  the  Indians,  riding  faster  and  faster.  They 
yelled !  They  made  strange,  wild  motions  with  their  arms ! 

Never  had  the  travelers  from  the  East  seen  such  riding! 
The  horses  dashed  madly  up  to  the  strangers. 

Then  in  one  volley  the  Indians  shot  their  guns  right  over 
their  heads ! 

They  wheeled  their  horses  and  came  back.  Then  they 
turned  again.  Back  and  forth  and  round  and  round  they 
rode  dizzily. 

They  performed  all  the  mad  tricks  they  knew,  and  so  did 
their  well-trained  horses. 

“  This  is  the  red  man’s  welcome,”  said  one  of  the  Indian 
boys. 

“  They  have  watched  for  you  for  many  moons,”  said  an¬ 
other. 

“  They  have  waited  long  for  the  Book  of  Heaven,”  said 
the  third. 

Not  very  long  after  that  day  the  Indians  and  the  good 
white  men  were  busily  working  together.  The  Indians  were 
cutting  down  trees  from  their  big  forests,  logs  so  big  and 
heavy  that  it  took  twelve  of  these  eager  red  men  to  carry 
one  log. 

They  were  helping  the  white  men  to  build  a  school. 

When  the  school  was  finished  and  the  fathers  and  the 
grandfathers  sat  at  the  doors  of  their  wigwams  to  smoke  the 
peace  pipe,  this  is  what  they  said : 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


285 


“  Are  you  going  to  let  your  little  Rabbit  Skin  go  to  the 
great  tepee  to  see  how  the  white  man  lives  ?” 

“  Yes,  he  shall  go,”  and  they  smoked  a  while  and  thought. 

“  Are  you  going  to  let  your  little  Rain-in-the-Face  go  to 
the  great  tepee  to  see  how  the  white  men  live  ?” 

“  Yes,  he  shall  go.” 

Then  one  of  the  great  braves  said :  “  Let  the  children  go 
to  the  lodge  of  the  white  men.  We  are  too  old  to  learn.” 

“  Yes,”  said  another  brave,  “  we  will  hunt  in  the  day¬ 
time  while  they  are  learning,  and  in  the  evening  we  will  sit 
and  smoke  about  the  camp  fire,  and  the  children  will  tell  us 
what  the  white  men  have  told  them  is  written  in  the  ‘  Book 
of  Heaven.’  ” 

“Yes,”  said  an  old  grandfather,  “they  will  tell  us  all 
they  have  learned  since  the  rising  of  the  sun.  We  will  listen 
to  the  words  from  the  Book  of  Heaven  while  we  smoke.” 

And  so  the  Indians  of  the  Oregon  Country  began  to  learn 
about  the  love  of  God. 

Topics  to  Talk  About 

Homes,  Food,  Dress,  Occupations,  Implements 

of  War,  Beliefs. 


286 


PRIMARY  C1IURCPI  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


QUOTATION  PROM  “  HIAWATHA  ”  DESCRIBING  THE  DRESS 

OE  AN  INDIAN  BOY 

Dressed  in  deerskin  shirt  and  leggings, 

Richly  wrought  with  quills  and  wampum; 

On  his  head  his  eagle  feathers, 

Round  his  waist  his  belt  of  wampum, 

With  his  mittens,  Minjekawum, 

With  his  moccasins  enchanted. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  God  be  merciful  unto  us,  and  bless  us, 

And  cause  his  face  to  shine  upon  us ; 

That  thy  way  may  be  known  upon  earth, 

Thy  salvation  among  all  nations. 

Let  the  peoples  praise  thee,  O  God ; 

Let  all  the  peoples  praise  thee. 

Oh  let  the  nations  be  glad  and  sing  for  joy.” 

— Psalm  67:1 -4a. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  that  thou  dost  love  all 
people.  We  are  glad  that  the  message  has  traveled  so  far. 
May  we  be  able  to  find  some  small  way  of  helping  to  spread 
thy  message  of  love.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Show  the  children  how  to  set  up  an  Indian  tepee.  Use 
thirteen  poles  sunk  in  the  ground  and  tied  at  the  top. 

Begin  the  weaving  of  an  Indian  blanket.  (See  directions 
for  setting  up  a  loom  in  the  first  book  of  this  series,  “  God 
the  Loving  Father.”) 

Cut  out  and  make  an  Indian  paper  doll.  See  sketch. 

Set  up  an  Indian  camp,  following  the  description  given  in 
“  Hiawatha.” 

Make  a  collection  of  Indian  pictures  to  mount  in  a  small 
scrapbook  to  send  to  some  child  who  is  a  convalescent. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


287 


Handwork  and  Blackboard  Decoration 


CHAPTER  XXX 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

A  BOY  AND  HIS  LUNCH  BASKET 

John  6:1-14 
Memory  Verse 

“  With  lovingkindness  have  I  drawn  thee.” — Jeremiah 
31 :3b. 


The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Our  theme  is  “  The  Children  of  the  World  for  Jesus,” 
and  we  are  to  develop  it  by  means  of  alternating  lessons : 
first  a  Biblical  story,  then  a  story  picturing  some  place  in 
the  world  where  the  children  need  to  have  the  knowledge 
of  the  love  of  Jesus  carried  to  them. 

For  to-day’s  study  let  us  lay  stress  upon  the  magnetism 
of  Jesus,  his  drawing  power:  Jesus  as  a  magnet.  Let  us 
show  this  characteristic  through  the  story  of  the  feeding 
of  the  five  thousand. 

This  story  has  been  told  before,  and  will  be  told  again ; 
but  let  us  remember  that  these  stories  are  many-sided,  and 
that  they  teach  many  different  lessons.  In  choosing  it  two 
points  will  be  gained :  the  repetition  of  the  facts,  which  is 
essential,  and  the  development  of  the  new  thought. 

Historical  Statement 

At  the  time  of  the  occurrence  of  this  incident,  Jesus’ 
hold  upon  the  “  common  people  ”  was  growing,  much  to 
the  dissatisfaction  of  the  ruling  and  upper  classes.  Herod 
Antipas  had  murdered  John  the  Baptist,  and  now  super- 
stitiously  concluded  that  Jesus  was  his  victim,  returned  from 
the  dead.  Jesus  knew  that  at  the  present  time  neither  he  nor 
his  followers  were  safe  within  Herod’s  territory,  so,  con¬ 
sidering  this  fact,  and  also  remembering  that  they  were  all 


288 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


289 


very  much  wearied  from  their  long  and  extended  labors  in 
behalf  of  the  multitudes,  he  arranged  for  a  holiday  out 
amongst  the  hills  and  glens  of  the  country  round  Bethsaida, 
across  the  lake. 

They  would  take  one  of  the  fishing  ships,  make  for  the 
northeast  coast,  land  and  find  their  way  out  into  the  country, 
thus  finding  relief  from  the  tension  of  overstrained  nerves. 

But  the  plan  was  not  to  be  carried  out  so  easily ;  some 
one  saw  the  departing  boat  and  spread  the  news.  The  eager 
multitudes  poured  from  Capernaum  and  other  villages  on  the 
lake,  and  hurried  on  foot,  reaching  the  place  even  before 
Jesus  and  his  party  landed. 

The  tired  Master  gave  up  his  holiday  and  his  greatly 
needed  rest,  and  spent  the  day  in  healing,  comforting,  teach¬ 
ing,  preaching. 

All  through  your  story  picture  the  little  boy  edging  his 
way  through  the  crowd,  fascinated  and  drawn  by  the  mag¬ 
netic  presence.  Make  Jesus  his  Magnet. 

This  Story 

There  was  once  a  boy  who  lived  in  Capernaum,  a  town 
by  the  side  of  a  sea. 

There  were  many  good  times  for  a  boy  who  lived  by  the 
seashore  in  those  long-ago  days.  He  could  watch  the  fisher¬ 
men  come  in  with  their  boats  loaded  with  fish.  He  could 
stand  by  when  the  men  emptied  their  catch  in  great  silvery 
piles  on  the  beach.  He  could  watch  the  fishermen  wash  their 
nets  and  mend  the  holes  as  they  made  ready  for  another  trip. 
He  could  listen  to  their  stories  about  the  sudden  storms  that 
often  stirred  the  waters  until  the  waves  rose  up  like  big, 
angry  monsters,  almost  as  tall  as  mountains,  so  that  no 
ship  was  safe  upon  them ! 

Sometimes  he  could  go  *  ^ong  with  the  fishermen,  and  that 
was  one  of  the  best  things  a  boy  could  do.  Perhaps  he 
would  have  a  meal  of  fresh  fish,  baked  over  a  fire  built 
on  the  beach. 

Now  at  this  time  there  was  great  excitement  in  the  town 
by  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  The  most  wonderful  Man  that  the 
bov  ever  had  seen  had  come  to  live  there. 

He  stayed  at  the  home  of  Peter  the  fisherman.  Twelve 


290 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


men  were  his  special  friends,  and  went  with  him  everywhere. 
James  and  John,  two  brothers  who  were  also  fishermen  and 
owned  a  ship,  were  among  those  friends. 

The  Man’s  name  was  Jesus,  and  he  did  very  wonderful 
things.  The  boy  knew  about  some  of  these  things. 

Right  in  Capernaum  he  had  opened  the  eyes  of  two  blind 
men. 

And  there  was  a  man  who  could  not  speak,  a  dumb  man, 
who  now  was  able  to  talk  as  well  as  anyone,  just  be¬ 
cause  Jesus  had  bidden  him  do  so! 

And  a  little  girl,  a  rich  man’s  child,  had  fallen  so  sick 
that  no  doctor  in  all  Capernaum  could  cure  her.  Her 
father  had  heard  about  Jesus,  and  had  run  to  get  him,  for 
he  was  at  that  time  out  of  town;  but  she  had  died  before 
Jesus  could  reach  her.  Jesus  went  right  on  to  the  rich 
man’s  house,  and  took  the  little  girl  by  the  hand,  and  spoke 
to  her,  and  she  rose  from  the  dead ! 

This  was  right  in  Capernaum  by  the  sea !  Wasn’t  it 
enough  to  make  a  boy  want  to  see  the  wonderful  Man  who 
was  living  in  his  own  home  city? 

He  would  find  him ;  he  would  hear  him  speak ;  he  would 

look  into  his  face. 

/ 

Now  it  was  quite  true  that  Jesus  had  done  these  wonderful 
things,  and  many,  many  more.  He  and  his  twelve  special 
friends  were  tired ;  they  needed  a  rest.  So  they  planned  to 
take  a  holiday,  out  in  the  country  across  the  lake. 

They  took  one  of  the  fishermen’s  boats  and  soon  were 
sailing  toward  the  village  of  Bethsaida. 

But  some  one  saw  the  boat.  Disappointed  people  pointed 
to  the  Master  whom  they  could  not  spare  even  for  a  day. 

“  He  is  gone !”  they  exclaimed. 

Then  some  one  started  to  follow  on  foot  round  the  edge 
of  the  lake.  Others  joined,  and  soon  there  was  a  crowd, 
hurrying,  hurrying,  almost  running. 

They  had  a  long  distance  to  go,  but  they  reached  the  land¬ 
ing  place  even  before  the  boat  got  there.  (Show  by  a  map 
how  this  could  be  done.) 

Alas  for  Jesus’  rest!  He  looked  into  the  tired,  eager 
faces  and  gave  up  his  holiday ! 

Soon  that  boy  found  himself  edging  in  and  out  of  the 
crowd,  because  a  boy  can  get  through  very  small  places. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


291 


He  wanted  to  get  as  close  as  he  could  to  Jesus.  He 
wanted  to  see  what  Jesus  did.  He  wanted  to  look  right  up 
into  his  face.  He  wanted  to  be  so  near  that  he  could  hear 
every  word.  He  wanted  to  see  if,  perchance,  Jesus  might 
do  any  more  of  those  wonderful  things. 

The  boy  was  not  disappointed.  His  eyes  soon  grew  big 
with  wonder. 

What  a  loving  face !  What  a  kind  voice !  How  tenderly 
he  looked  at  the  sick  people ! 

And  then — the  boy  saw — 

Lame  children  walked ;  blind  men  opened  their  eyes ;  sick 
people  were  made  well. 

All  at  a  touch  or  a  word  from  the  wonderful  Man ! 

And  the  boy  crept  closer  and  closer,  in  between  the  big 
people,  wherever  there  was  a  space  half  large  enough  for 
even  his  body. 

He  could  not  keep  away.  He  forgot  even  to  be  hungry, 
and  he  had  a  good  lunch  along  with  him,  five  loaves  and 
two  fishes. 

By  and  by  evening  came.  The  disciples  said :  “  Master, 
the  day  is  gone.  There  is  nothing  to  eat  here.  Send  the 
people  away  that  they  may  go  to  the  village  and  buy  food  for 
themselves.” 

“  They  need  not  go  away,”  said  Jesus,  “  Give  ye  them  to 
eat.” 

“  Why,  Master,  it  would  take  a  great  deal  of  bread  to 
feed  such  a  crowd,  even  to  give  very  little  to  each !”  said 
one  man. 

“  Two  hundred  shillings’  worth  of  bread  would  not  be 
enough,”  said  another. 

“How  many  loaves  have  you?”  asked  Jesus.  “Go  and 
see.” 

One  of  the  disciples  named  Andrew  soon  came  back  and 
said :  “  There  is  a  little  boy  here  who  has  five  loaves  and 
two  small  fishes.  But  what  are  they  among  so  many?” 

But  here  was  the  little  boy’s  chance !  He  came  and  gave 
his  lunch  to  Jesus,  all  of  it. 

“  Make  the  people  sit  down,”  said  Jesus  to  his  disciples. 

Then  all  the  crowd  sat  down  on  the  grass;  there  were 
five  thousand  men,  and  a  great  many  women  and  children. 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


They  sat  in  groups  as  is  done  at  a  picnic.  The  gay-colored 
clothes  made  the  field  look  as  if  it  were  covered  with  flowers. 

Jesus  took  the  little  boy’s  five  loaves  and  two  fishes.  He 
asked  a  blessing  on  the  food. 

Then  he  began  to  break  the  bread  and  meat  into  pieces, 
and  gave  to  his  disciples  to  pass  to  the  people. 

In  some  wonderful  way,  the  food  grew  more  and  more 
and  more.  The  hungry  people  ate  as  much  as  they  wanted, 
and  still  there  was  enough  to  go  round.  All  the  men  and 
women  in  the  great  crowd  ate  until  they  were  hungry  no 
longer. 

When  the  meal  was  over  Jesus  said,  “  Gather  up  the 
pieces,”  and  the  disciples  filled  twelve  baskets  with  the 
fragments  that  remained. 

The  little  boy  saw  it  all,  and  he  never  forgot  that  day. 
He  was  glad  that  he  had  been  able  to  help  the  Master,  and  he 
would  love  him  as  long  as  he  lived. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON  :  THE  STORY  IN  BIBLE  WORDS 

“  After  these  things  Jesus  went  away  to  the  other  side  of 
the  sea  of  Galilee..  .  .  And  a  great  multitude  followed  him, 
because  they  beheld  the  signs  which  he  did  on  them  that 
were  sick.  And  Jesus  went  up  into  the  mountain,  and  there 
he  sat  with  his  disciples.  .  .  .  Jesus  therefore  lifting  up 
his  eyes,  and  seeing  that  a  great  multitude  cometh  unto 
him,  saith  unto  Philip,  Whence  are  we  to  buy  bread,  that 
these  may  eat?  And  this  he  said  to  prove  him:  for  he 
himself  knew  what  he  would  do. ...One  of  his  disciples, 
Andrew,  Simon  Peter’s  brother,  saith  unto  him,  There  is 
a  lad  here,  who  hath  five  barley  loaves,  and  two  fishes  :  but 
what  are  these  among  so  many?  Jesus  said,  Make  the 
people  sit  down.  Now  there  was  much  grass  in  the  place. 
So  the  men  sat  down,  in  number  about  five  thousand.  Jesus 
therefore  took  the  loaves ;  and  having  given  thanks,  he  dis¬ 
tributed  to  them  that  were  set  down ;  likewise  also  of  the 
fishes  as  much  as  they  would.  And  when  they  were  filled, 
he  .said  unto  his  disciples,  Gather  up  the  broken  pieces 
which  remain  over,  that  nothing  be  lost.  So  they  gathered 
them  up,  and  filled  twelve  baskets  with  broken  pieces  from 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


293 


the  five  barley  loaves,  which  remained  over  unto  them  that 
had  eaten.” — John  6:1-13. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  think  that  we  should  have  done  just 
as  that  little  boy  did,  if  we  had  been  living  in  that  long-ago 
time.  We,  too,  would  have  been  glad  to  have  been  there  and 
to  have  been  able  to  help.  Perhaps  we  can  find  some  way  of 
helping  now.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Weave  a  raffia  basket,  and  put  in  it  something  to  make 
some  one  happy. 

Make  a  poster  picture  of  an  Oriental  boat  upon  the  water. 
(See  Blackboard  Decoration.) 


Blackboard  Decoration 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  ESKIMOS 
John  6:1-14  (Review) 

Memory  Verse 

“  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
whole  creation.” — Mark  16:15. 


294 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Ti-ie  Teacher's  Preparation 

After  referring  to  the  little  boy  who  wanted  to  be  with 
Jesus,  to  see  him,  to  behold  what  he  did,  remind  the  pupils 
that  this  state  of  mind  should  be  natural  to  all,  and  is  the 
right  of  all  little  children.  Some  have  not  had  the  op¬ 
portunity  of  hearing  about  Jesus.  Among  these  are  many 
of  the  Eskimos,  and  to  them  the  message  of  Jesus  should  go. 

Items  of  Interest  for  the  Teacher  to  Weave  into  Her 

Story  of  Eskimo  Life 

Their  appearance,  dress,  food,  climate  of  the  homeland, 
homes,  occupations  of  fathers,  what  the  mothers  do,  sledges 
and  dog  teams,  night  and  day  in  the  far  North,  children’s 
playtime. 

Information  may  easily  be  gleaned  from  the  following 
books : 

“  The  Eskimo  Twins,”  Lucy  Fitch  Perkins. 

“  Eskimo  Stories,”  Smith. 

“  Little  Folks  of  Many  Lands,”  Chance. 

“  Big  People  and  Little  People  of  Other  Lands,”  Shaw. 

The  Story* 

Tobias,  Metek,  and  Nasuk  were  three  little  Eskimo  boys 
who  lived  up  in  the  far  North  where  it  is  very,  very  cold. 
Nasuk  had  a  little  sister  whose  name  was  Netka. 

In  that  strange  land  of  snow  and  ice,  there  are  six  months 
of  day,  daylight  all  the  time;  then  come  six  months  of  night 
when  the  sun  does  not  shine. 

The  children  like  the  daylight  season,  and  welcome  the 
coming  of  the  sun,  for  then  it  is  less  cold,  and  they  can  see 
to  play  their  merry  games. 

Tobias’  father  was  a  great  man  in  the  place,  and  he  owned 
a  splendid  team  of  dogs.  When  he  went  from  place  to  place 
he  rode  in  a  sledge  made  of  bone,  and  his  dogs  were  hitched 
one  after  the  other. 

The  name  of  the  wisest  of  all  the  dogs  was  Grim.  He 
was  the  pet,  and  the  children  loved  him. 

*  This  story  is  adapted  from  the  book  entitled  “  Hans  the  Eskimo/’ 
(a  story  of  Arctic  Adventure)  by  Christiana  Scandlin  and  is  used 
by  permission  of  the  publishers,  Silver,  Burdett  and  Company. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


295 


Grim  was  the  only  one  of  all  the  dogs  that  Mother  Kersut 
allowed  to  come  into  the  queer-looking  house  that  was  round 
like  this  (sketch),  and  was  made  of  blocks  of  ice. 

These  four  little  people  were  dressed  in  fur  from  head 
to  foot.  Father  Hans  caught  the  animals,  and  Mother  Ker¬ 
sut  sewed  the  skins  into  cunning  little  suits  with  a  needle 
made  from  the  bone  of  a  walrus. 

Their  stockings  and  shirts  were  made  of  the  soft  skins 
of  birds,  with  the  downy  feathers  turned  inside.  They  had 
coats  and  hoods  and  trousers  and  boots  of  bearskin.  Big 
fur  mittens  covered  their  hands. 

Indeed,  they  looked,  at  first  sight,  more  like  little  bears 
than  like  children ! 

The  boys  could  play  a  long  time  on  the  ice  and  in  the 
snow  without  feeling  the  cold.  What  fun  it  was  to  take  a 
ride  in  the  sledge  drawn  by  a  dozen  dogs! 

Father  carried  a  long  whip  which  he  could  send  flying 
through  the  air. 

The  dogs  liked  the  fun  as  well  as  the  children.  With 
a  word  from  father  they  would  come  to  a  stop. 

“  Ka  !  Ka !”  father  would  shout ;  then  on  the  dogs  would 
dash  again. 

When  they  reached  home  after  their  ride,  the  children 
would  clamber  out  of  the  sledge. 

“  Wait  a  minute,  boys,”  father  would  say  as  they  hurried 
to  the  igloo,  as  the  funny-looking  house  is  called.  “  Let 
me  go  first.” 

Then  he  stooped  and  crawled  on  his  hands  and  knees 
through  the  l6w,  covered  passageway,  ten  feet  long.  Up 
the  steep  incline  at  the  end  he  went,  pushed  aside  the  heavy 
skin  curtain  which  formed  the  door.  Then  he  dropped 
down  into  the  snug,  dark  igloo. 

“  All  right !  Come  in,”  he  called. 

Then,  one  at  a  time,  each  of  the  merry  party  crawled  in. 
Mother  Kersut  put  some  pieces  of  fat  into  a  soapstone  dish. 
Father  Hans  put  a  piece  of  dried  moss  and  a  little  package 
of  dried  pussy  willows  on  the  dish  beside  the  fat. 

He  struck  a  piece  of  steel  upon  a  stone.  Then — Presto  ! 
a  spark  of  fire  lighted  the  moss  and  made  a  merry  flame 
which  spread  to  the  fat.  The  moss  burned  brightly  like  a 
candle  and  lighted  the  igloo  and  made  it  warm. 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  children  shouted  a  welcome  to  the  light  and  danced 
about  it  with  their  hands  spread  out  to  catch  its  warmth. 

Father  Hans  brought  in  the  skins  and  spread  them  about 
for  carpets  and  beds.  Mother  warmed  a  piece  of  meat,  and 
the  family  ate  their  supper. 

“  You  promised  to  tell  us  a  story,  father,”  said  Tobias, 
when  all  were  comfortably  seated  round  the  stove. 

“  I  remember,”  said  Father  Hans.  “  What  shall  it  be  ?” 

But  Father  Hans  was  not  surprised  when  all  the  children 
cried :  “  About  the  Christ-child,  father !  The  story  about 
the  Christ-child !” 

Many  years  before,  Father  Hans  had  worked  on  a  ship 
for  one  of  the  white  men  who  had  come  from  the  country 
in  the  far  Southland,  and  he  had  told  the  story  of  the  com¬ 
ing-  of  the  Christ-child.  Father  Hans  had  remembered  it 
always,  and  this  was  the  story  he  told :  How  the  Christ-child 
was  born  in  a  manger ;  how  the  shepherds  saw  the  bright 
light  which  rested  over  his  birthplace ;  how  the  angels  told 
that  the  Christ-child  had  been  born,  and  sang  their  beauti¬ 
ful  song;  how  the  shepherds  hurried  over  the  cold  fields, 
led  by  the  star,  and  found  the  dear  Baby  with  his  mother. 

The  story  was  finished ;  that  was  all  father  knew. 

“  I  wish  that  I  could  have  heard  the  angels  and  have  seen 
the  Christ-child,”  said  Tobias,  wistfully. 

“  So  do  I,”  lisped  little  Netka. 

“  Do  angels  often  come  to  the  earth,  father?”  asked 
Tobias. 

“  No,”  answered  Father  Hans.  “  But  the  good  white  man 
said  that  in  some  places  people  believe  that  the  Christ-child 
returns  to  earth  at  Christmas  time  and  gives  gifts  to  those 
children  who  have  been  good  all  during  the  year.  The  chil¬ 
dren  hang  up  their  stockings  at  the  chimney  on  Christmas 
Eve.” 

“  I  wish  that  we  lived  in  the  Southland,  so  that  we  might 
know  all  about  those  things,”  sighed  Metek. 

“  I  wish  we  knew  more  about  the  Christ-child,”  said 
Nasuk. 

“  Yes,”  added  little  Netka,  “  more  about  the  Christ-child.” 

“  What  is  a  chimney,  father?”  asked  Tobias. 

“It  is  an  opening  over  the  stove  for  the  smoke  to  pass 
through,”  answered  father. 

/ 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


297 


“If  only  we  had  a  chimney,”  said  Metek. 

“  Perhaps  the  Christ-child  might  look  down  into  our  ig¬ 
loo  through  the  window,”  said  Tobias. 

“If  he  should  see  our  stockings  hanging  just  beneath  the 
window,  perhaps,  perhaps  he  would  not  pass  us  by !”  ex¬ 
claimed  Tobias  excitedly. 

“  You  may  try  it,”  said  father. 

So  Mother  Kersut  gave  them  each  a  soft  stocking  made  of 
feathery  bird  skins. 

Father  pounded  four  nails  made  from  the  bone  of  a  wal¬ 
rus  just  underneath  the  window,  and  the  four  children  hung 
up  their  stockings  and  then  went  to  bed.  Soon  they  were 
sleeping  soundly. 

It  was  midnight  when  little  Tobias  awoke.  He  sat  up  in 
bed  and  looked  about  him.  All  was  very  still  except  for  the 
breathing  of  the  sleepers. 

The  little  lamp  gave  a  faint  light.  He  softly  crept  from 
the  skin  coverlets,  wrapped  himself  in  fur,  and  made  his 
way  down  the  dark  passage. 

Grim’s  quick  ears  caught  the  sound. 

“  Grim,”  he  whispered.  “  Grim,  don’t  bark.  It  is  only 
Tobias.”  Tap,  tap  went  Grim’s  tail  on  the  snow  floor. 

He  patted  Grim’s  head,  and  the  good  dog  rose  and  went 
with  him. 

He  went  on.  Then  he  looked  out  of  doors  and  into  the 
sky.  A  beautiful,  bright  star  shone  in  the  heavens,  a  star 
which  seemed  brighter  than  any  of  the  others. 

“  Perhaps  it  is  the  Christmas  star  that  guided  the  shep¬ 
herds !”  whispered  Tobias  to  himself. 

Then  from  the  northern  heavens  there  streamed  a  light. 
Higher  and  higher  it  rose.  There  came  a  flash  of  rose  color, 
then  green,  then  violet,  until  all  the  heavens  seemed  to  glow. 

The  light  lasted  a  moment.  Then  it  faded  and  went  out. 

Tobias  gave  a  sigh,  hiding  his  face  in  Grim’s  furry  neck. 

“  We  were  too  late  to  see  the  angels  or  hear  them  sing,” 
he  whispered,  “  but  we  saw  the  great  glory.”  Then  he 
wished,  oh,  how  he  wished  that  he  knew  more  about  the 
Christ-child. 

The  boy  and  the  dog  went  back  to  sleep  while  the  Christ¬ 
mas  star  traveled  silently  on  its  way. 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


When  the  children  awoke  they  found  something  in  every 
stocking. 

What  shouts  of  delight  filled  the  igloo!  Each  boy  found 
something  that  he  wanted ;  and  in  little  Netka’s  stocking  was 
a  funny  doll  made  of  bone  and  dressed  in  fur. 

Instead  of  candy  they  found  sticks  of  walrus  meat. 

Grim  was  as  gay  as  anyone,  and  jumped  about  and  barked, 
and  the  children  gave  him  bits  of  their  meat. 

And  the  children  were  happy  on  this  happiest  day  of  all 
the  year,  happy  because  they  were  keeping  the  birthday  of 
the  Christ-child. 


Conclude  the  lesson  with  a  sentence  or  two  about  the 
right  of  these  little  children  to  know  more  about  Jesus,  and 
of  their  gratitude  for  knowledge. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  All  nations  whom  thou  hast  made  shall  come  and  worship  be¬ 
fore  thee,  O  Lord ; 

And  they  shall  glorify  thy  name. 

For  thou  art  great,  and  doest  wondrous  things: 

Thou  art  God  alone.” 

— Psalm  86:9,  10. 


“  The  people  that  sat  in  darkness 
Saw  a  great  light.” 

— Matthew  4:16. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  the  stories  about 
Jesus  and  his  love  that  have  been  told  to  us.  May  all  little 
children  the  wide  world  over,  be  told  of  his  love.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Represent  the  home  of  the  Eskimo  children  on  the  sand 
table.  Use  a  half  of  a  coconut  shell  for  the  igloo,  covering 
it  over  with  a  coat  of  whitewash,  white  paint,  or  even  a 
crinkly  white  paper  napkin.  Indicate  sketchily  the  cakes  of 
ice. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


299 


The  children  will  be  interested  in  making  Eskimo  dolls, 
sledges,  dogs,  white  polar  bears,  and  fish  from  cardboard,  to 
supply  the  needed  life. 

Blackboard  and  Handwork  Hllps 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 


JESUS  TELLS  A  STORY  ABOUT  A  FATHER’S 

LOVE 

Luke  15:11-32 

Memory  Verse 

“  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children, 

So  Jehovah  pitieth  them  that  fear  him.,, 

— Psalm  103:13. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

As  you  prepare  these  lessons,  keep  constantly  in  mind 
your  theme:  “The  Children  of  the  World  for  Jesus.” 
Bring  out  in  this  Biblical  lesson  some  phase  of  the  “  needs  ” 
of  the  “  children  the  wide  world  over.” 

A  very  young  child  understands  the  meaning  of  forgive¬ 
ness  ;  he  realizes  his  own  little,  everyday  naughtiness,  the 
feeling  of  guilt,  the  relief  when  forgiveness  has  been  granted 
after  mother  or  father  has  been  told  all  about  it. 

The  heavenly  Father  is  represented  in  this  parable  of 
Jesus  as  a  Father  who  welcomes  the  sinner  who'  is  sorry, 
and  who  gives  an  abundant  share  of  love  to  him.  He  is 
represented  as  a  father  to  whom  a  little  stranger,  or  one 
who  has  unknowingly  or  even  knowingly  broken  his  rules, 
may  come  without  fear  and  ask  forgiveness,  sure  of  a  loving 
reinstatement  and  a  welcome. 

This  parable  was  told  just  after  the  telling  of  the  parables 
of  the  Lost  Sheep  and  Lost  Piece  of  Silver.  It  reinforced 
the  teachings  of  these  two  stories  in  a  remarkably  forceful 
manner,  showing  the  tenderness  of  God’s  love. 

Use  it  as  a  orelude  for  one  of  these  other  lessons,  giv¬ 
ing  illustration  of  certain  little  children  who  need  to  be  told 
of  all  this  love  which  is  theirs. 


300 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


301 


The  purpose  of  the  secular  illustrative  lessons  is  to  awaken 
the  social  service  and  missionary  spirit  in  the  hearts  of  our 
pupils. 

Before:  the  Story 

One  day  Jesus  was  trying  to  show  how  much  the  heavenly 
Father  wants  everyone  to  come  to  him,  even  those  who  have 
made  mistakes  and  have  sinned,  those  who  have  been  selfish, 
and  mean,  and  altogether  full  of  wrong ;  how  the  Father 
longs  to  have  them  come  to  him  and  ask  his  forgiveness  and 
share  in  his  love.  Lie  said,  “  Let  me  tell  you  a  story.” 
And  this  is  the  story. 


The  Story 

Once  there  was  a  man  who  had  two  sons. 

He  was  a  rich  man,  and  the  two  boys  had  had  everything 
that  a  loving  father  could  give  them :  a  pleasant  home,  plenty 
to  eat,  and  comfortable  clothes  to  wear. 

One  day  the  younger  son  came  to  his  father  and  said : 
“  Father,  I  have  come  to  ask  you  to  give  me  my  share  of  the 
property ;  the  share  that  you  intend  to  leave  to  me,  which  is 
my  right.” 

Of  course  the  son  knew  that  he  was  the  younger  of  his 
father’s  two  boys,  and  that  it  was  the  law  in  that  land  for 
the  younger  to  have  only  half  as  much  as  the  older. 

He  understood  all  this  when  he  said,  “  I  pray  thee,  give 
me  my  share  that  I  may  have  it  now,  to  do  with  as  I  like.” 

The  father,  then,  did  as  this  son  asked.  Lie  divided  his 
wealth  and  gave  his  younger  son  his  share,  to  do  with  as  he 
liked.  The  other  portion  was  for  his  older  son,  but  he  saved 
this  part  in  his  own  keeping  until  the  time  that  he  should  die, 
as  he  should  have  done  with  the  younger  son’s  part,  if  his 
boy  had  not  begged  it  away. 

Now  when  this  younger  son  had  all  this  large  sum  of 
money  in  his  own  hands  to  do  with  as  he  liked,  he  began 
to  act  in  a  strangely  foolish  way.  By  and  by  he  began  to 
feel  that  his  father’s  house  and  even  his  home  city  were  too 
tame  for  him. 

He  longed  to  go  where  he  could  see  new  sights  and  to  be 
where  he  could  spend  his  money  just  as  he  liked,  to  have  a 
very  gay  time. 


302 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


So  he  said  good-by  to  his  father  and  his  brother  and  left 
his  home  and  traveled  away. 

For  a  while  he  had  a  very  gay  time.  It  was  easy  to  make 
friends  wherever  he  went. 

He  spent  his  money  for  everything  he  wanted.  He  ate 
too  much ;  he  drank ;  he  bought  clothes  that  were  altogether 
too  costly ! 

After  a  while  he  noticed  that  his  money  was  growing  less ; 
and  it  was  not  so  long  before  it  was  gone. 

Now  about  this  time  a  great  famine  arose  in  the  land. 
Nothing  grew  in  the  fields,  which  made  food  hard  to  get, 
and  very  costly. 

Instead  of  having  the  daintiest  food,  the  young  man  was 
glad  enough  to  get  the  very  coarsest. 

At  last  he  was  so  poor  that  he  had  to  go  and  ask  for  work 
— work  of  any  kind  in  order  to  get  money  enough  to  buy  the 
commonest  food  to  eat  to  keep  himself  alive. 

One  man  gave  him  the  job  of  keeping  his  pigs. 

This  was  a  shameful  piece  of  work  for  a  proud  Jew,  for 
the  Jews  considered  swine  the  most  unclean  of  all  the  ani¬ 
mals  ! 

But  the  younger  son  took  the  job,  rather  than  starve.  Even 
this  did  not  turn  out  well,  for  his  master  paid  no  attention 
to  his  hunger  or  his  poverty  or  his  suffering. 

He  was  glad  enough  to  eat  the  pods  that  were  given  to 
him  to  feed  to  the  pigs. 

Then  the  ^on,  tattered  and  torn  and  dirty  and  hungry, 
began  to  think  about  his  old  home  and  the  good  father 
whom  he  had  left;  the  father  whose  teachings  he  had  de¬ 
spised  and  forgotten. 

He  grew  very  homesick. 

“  My  father’s  servants  are  far  better  off  than  I,”  he  said 
to  himself  as  he  fed  the  pigs.  “  They  have  more  bread  than 
they  can  eat,  and  I,  his  son,  am  dying  here  of  hunger.” 

He  was  ashamed  of  what  he  had  done ;  sorry  and  ashamed. 

Then  he  said :  “  I  will  arise  and  go  back  to  my  father. 
I  will  tell  him  how  sinful  I  have  been.  I  have  sinned 
against  heaven,  and  against  him.  I  will  tell  him  how  sorry 
I  am.  I  will  tell  him  that  I  am  no  longer  worthy  to  be  called 
his  son.  I  will  ask  him  if  I  may  be  as  one  of  his  servants. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


303 


I  will  work  for  my  bread,  if  only  he  will  take  me  back 
again.” 

So  the  lonely,  ragged  hungry  son  started  on  his  journey 
toward  his  old  home. 

But  while  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off  his  father  saw  him 
coming.  He  ran  to  meet  him. 

When  he  reached  him,  he  took  his  tattered  son  in  his 
arms  and  kissed  him  tenderly.  Nothing  but  forgiveness  and 
love  were  in  that  father’s  face. 

“  I  have  been  very  wicked,  father.  I  have  sinned  against 
God  and  against  thee.  I  am  not  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son 
any  longer.” 

But  he  could  not  say  the  rest  of  the  story  that  he  intended 
to  say. 

The  father  understood.  He  saw  that  his  boy  was  sorry, 
and  that  was  enough.  He  forgave  everything. 

“  My  son  has  come  home,”  he  cried  to  his  servants. 
“  Bring  me  a  robe,  the  best  in  the  house !  Put  a  ring  on 
his  finger !  Put  sandals  on  his  feet !  My  son  has  come 
home !” 

Then  he  called  to  other  servants :  “  Kill  the  fatted  calf ! 
We  shall  have  a  feast  to-day!  My  son  has  come  home!  I 
was  afraid  he  was  dead  in  a  strange  land !  He  has  come 
home !  Let  us  make  merry  in  his  honor !” 

Presently  the  house  was  gay  with  happy  music  and 
laughter  and  dancing.  The  fragrance  of  the  feast  stole  out 
in  the  air. 

The  elder  brother  came  back  to  the  house  from  the  field. 

He  heard  the  sound  of  the  music  and  the  laughter,  and 
smelled  the  cooking  feast,  he  called  a  servant  and  asked  the 
cause  of  the  merrymaking.  But  as  he  heard,  he  began  to 
scowl  and  look  very  ugly,  indeed. 

He  was  not  glad  to  see  his  brother  nor  pleased  because 
his  father  was  happy.  He  would  not  enter  the  house. 

The  good  father  came  out  to  talk  to  him  and  ask  him  to 
come  in. 

“  I  have  worked  for  you  many  years,  and  obeyed  you  al¬ 
ways.  Yet  you  never  gave  me  even  a  kid  to  make  a  party 
for  my  friends,  not  to  speak  of  the  fatted  calf !”  the  older 
son  said  sullenly. 


304 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  Now  this  fellow  comes  along,  and  see  what  you  do  for 
him !” 

“  He’s  wasted  your  money  and  has  done  everything  bad 
that  he  wished!”  grumbled  the  big  brother.  “Now  he’s 
come  back,  and  you  give  him  the  best  robe,  and  kill  the  fatted 
calf  for  him !” 

“  My  son,”  said  the  father  gently.  “  You  have  been  with 
me  always.  All  that  I  have  is  yours.  Have  you  forgotten 
that  all  that  is  left  is  really  yours?  You  are  my  heir. 

“  Your  brother  has  been  away  from  me  all  this  time  and 
now  has  come  back.  Can  you  not  spare  this  little  pleasure 
for  him?  You  should  not  be  selfish!  Surely  you  should 
be  glad  that  your  long-lost  brother  has  come  home  to  his 
father’s  house !  Surely  you  should  be  willing  to  give  him  a 
royal  welcome !” 


Alter  tiie  Lesson 

In  one  or  two  sentences  tell  the  children  that  God’s  wel¬ 
come  and  forgiveness  are  like  that  shown  by  the  father  to 
the  younger  son  in  this  story. 

Remark  that  we  who'  have  the  knowledge  of  God’s  love 
do  not  want  to  be  like  the  elder  son,  selfish  and  unwilling  to 
share. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“Oh  praise  Jehovah,  all  ye  nations; 

Laud  him,  all  ye  peoples. 

For  his  lovingkindness  is  great  toward  us ; 

And  the  truth  of  Jehovah  endureth  for  ever. 

Praise  ye  Jehovah.” 

— Psalm  117. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  have  known  what  it  is  to  do  wrong 
things,  and  to  be  sorry,  and  we  have  known  the  gladness  of 
being  forgiven.  We  thank  thee  that  thou  art  so  loving  and 
forgiving  to  us  and  to  all  who  need  to  be  forgiven. 

Keep  us  from  being  selfish  and  forgetful  of  other  little 
children  who  need  to  know  all  about  ways  of  coming  to  thee 
and  sharing  in  thy  love  and  forgiveness.  Amen. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


305 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Dramatize  the  story  in  several  short  dialogues : 

The  younger  son’s  request  of  the  father. 

The  son  goes  on  his  journey. 

The  return. 

The  dialogue  between  the  elder  son  and  his  father. 
Make  a  bookmark  to  give  to  father. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  CHILDREN  OF  CHERRY  BLOSSOM  LAND 

Luke  15  :25-32 

Memory  Verse 

“  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
whole  creation.” — Mark  16:15. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

Review  the  secondary  portion  of  the  story  of  the  Prodigal 
Son,  the  part  which  pictures  the  selfishness  of  the  elder  son. 

The  study  of  Japan  and  the  little  children  of  that  flowery 
land  may  be  made  very  interesting  to  your  pupils. 

A  few  simple  decorations  in  the  room,  such  as  chrysan¬ 
themums  (real  or  paper),  lanterns,  fans,  and  parasols  will 
suggest  the  country. 

Tell  a  little  about  this  far-away  country,  which  is  an  island 
country:  about  the  beautiful  snow-capped  mountain,  Fuji¬ 
yama,  so  well-beloved  that  it  is  found  in  very  many  Japanese 
pictures ;  tell  of  the  love  which  the  Japanese  have  for  their 
gardens,  which  are  of  all  sizes  from  the  great  estates  contain¬ 
ing  rockeries,  pools,  and  bridges  to  the  tiny  bowl  affair  with 
its  bit  of  green,  its  stones,  and  toy  fish  and  frogs.  Describe 
or  show  models  and  pictures  of  the  interesting  bamboo 
houses ;  tell  of  the  furnishings  of  low  cushions  instead  of 
chairs,  tiny  tables  with  trays  for  the  food  and  dishes;  tell 
how  the  Japanese  eat  their  food  with  chopsticks.  Tell  some¬ 
thing  of  the  food:  fish  of  all  kinds,  fowl,  meat,  fruits,  rice, 
and  tea. 


306 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


An  interesting  talk  could  be  made  about  tea,  and  how  it 
is  grown. 

Another  talk  could  be  planned  about  the  silk  industry; 
how  many  little  children  are  employed  to  feed  and  raise  the 
worms  on  ground  mulberry  leaves ;  about  the  unhappy  lives 
of  the  girls  who  work  in  the  silk  factories. 

Japanese:  Children 

Describe  their  appearance;  their  dress  (Kimono  tied  with 
obi,  or  sash,  shoes,  big  pockets,  paper  handkerchiefs,  para¬ 
sols)  ;  give  some  of  their  names. 

Tell  how  they  sit  on  the  floor;  eat  with  chopsticks;  ride 
in  jinrikishas;  read  from  the  back  of  a  hook  to  the  front; 
how  the  girls  often  carry  their  baby  brothers  or  sisters  on 
their  backs. 

Tell  something  of  their  holidays :  Feast  of  Lanterns ; 
Feast  of  Flags ;  celebration  of  the  cherry-blossom  season. 

Religion:  The  worship  of  idols  (Buddha)  ;  tell  something 
of  their  superstitions. 


The  Story 

It  was  cherry-blossom  time  and  the  tree  in  the  garden  was 
a  glory  of  pink  and  white  bloom. 

Generally  little  O  Hana  was  as  gay  as  the  butterflies,  the 
cho  cho  as  she  called  them,  that  danced  from  flower  to 
flower. 

Indeed,  little  O  Hana,  or  little  Miss  Flower  as  we  should 
call  her,  was  quite  like  a  blossom  herself,  and  many  and 
many  was  the  time  when  she  and  the  cho  cho  played  in  the 
garden  together. 

But  to-day  she  was  a  very  sad-looking  little  blossom,  in¬ 
deed.  She  had  no  eyes  for  the  cherry  tree,  and  the  cho  cho 
lighted  for  a  minute  on  the  flowers  of  her  gay  kimono  quite 
unnoticed. 

Her  brown  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  great  building  that 
the  foreign  teachers  had  built  as  a  school. 

.  She  did  not  even  hear  the  shrill  cry  of  kashi-uri,  the  cake 
seller,  as  he  came  along  with  a  large  tub  filled  with  sweet 
cakes  balanced  on  his  head. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


307 


Little  O  Hana  had  four  sen,  enough  for  two  cakes,  in  her 
sash,  hut  she  had  forgotten  all  about  them. 

Her  little  hands  were  clutching  something  else  that  was 
carefully  tucked  in  the  folds  of  her  silken  obi,  as  the  broad 
sash  was  called. 

“  Honorable  Miss  Teacher/’  she  sighed  to  herself,  “  I 
wish  you  had  it  back !”  Then  she  drew  the  “  something  ” 
out  and  looked  at  it.  It  was  the  stone-studded  comb  that 
lately  had  rested  in  the  hair  of  the  newest  teacher  in  the 
kindergarten,  honorable  Miss  Golden-Hair,  little  O  Hana 
called  her. 

O  Hana  did  not  go  to  the  school  on  the  hill,  but  she 
wished  that  she  did.  Father  worshiped  the  Buddha  in  the 
temple,  and  he  would  not  let  O  Hana  go  to  the  school, 
though  mother  and  he  were  very  polite  when  honorable  Miss 
Golden-Hair  came  to  ask  if  O  Hana  might  come. 

Mother  gave  her  the  softest  cushion  to  sit  upon,  and 
brought  out  the  prettiest  bowl  of  sweetmeats  and  the  loveliest 
cup  of  tea  and  the  sweetest  of  all  the  cakes  to  make  her  feel 
quite  at  home.  But  “  No,  noble  teacher  from  afar  would 
have  to  excuse  miserable  family,  for  insignificant  child,  O 
Hana,  could  not  go  to  the  honorable  school !” 

It  was  when  Miss  Golden-Hair  came  into  the  house  that 
O  Hana  first  spied  the  comb  which  looked  “  very  adorable.” 

When  Miss  Golden-Hair  had  finished  eating  the  cake  and 
the  sweetmeats,  and  had  bowed  good-by,  O  Hana  looked 
again  at  the  golden  head. 

“  It  are  vanish,”  she  thought  to  herself.  “  Where?”  The 
gem-studded  comb  was  gone. 

But  it  was  not  long  after  that  she  knew  where  the  comb 
was.  Right  beside  the  cushion  it  lay,  where  it  had  fallen 
from  the  curls.  O  Hana  picked  it  up. 

“  Oh,  most  magnificent  comb !”  exclaimed  O  Hana.  “  I 
will  put  it  in  my  own  miserable  hair !” 

O  Hana  went  out  into  the  garden  with  the  treasure,  and 
put  the  comb  into  her  own  dark,  shining  knot,  then,  looked 
down  into  the  little,  make-believe  lake  where  the  iris  blos¬ 
soms  grew.  She  nodded  and  smiled  at  the  picture  she  saw. 

“Are  I  real?  I  are  most  Americanly!”  she  said  to  her- 

self.  # 

For  a  week  she  had  kept  the  American  comb.  Then  some- 


308  PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS  , 

thing  happened,  that  turned  all  the  happiness  of  O  Hana  into 
trouble. 

Brother  Tak-e  brought  the  news.  He  had  been  out  near 
the  foreign  school  flying  his  kite.  He  had  seen  the  honorable 
teacher  who  had  called,  looking  very  white  and  ill,  sitting 
on  the  verandah. 

“  Bottle  of  medicine  and  cup  were  on  table  near  by ;  hon¬ 
orable  teacher  looked  very  sick,”  said  Tak-e. 

O  Hana  went  into  the  garden  and  sat  under  the  cherry 
tree. 

“  Clio  cho,  I  never  again  can  play  as  you  do,”  she  said. 
“  It  is  all  my  fault !  The  comb  was  the  honorable  teacher’s 
charm.  She  has  lost  it !” 

Then  a  sudden  fear  made  her  heart  seem  to  jump  to  her 
throat.  “  Perhaps  the  Fox  Woman  is  after  her!” 

The  Fox  Woman !  The  very  name  made  O  Hana’s  face 
grow  pale. 

The  foxes  are  the  servants  of  the  rice  god,  and  change 
into  human  beings,  so  the  Japanese  children  think.  They 
are  very  much  afraid  of  displeasing  the  Fox  Woman  and 
of  the  harm  that  she  can  do.  They  know  no  better. 

“  The  Fox  Woman  has  come  to  hunt  the  honorable  teacher 
because  her  charm  is  gone !”  said  O  Hana  to  herself.  “  I 
wish  she  had  it  back.  But  I  am  afraid  to  take  it.  Oh,  I 
am  afraid  of  the  Fox  Woman.” 

So  day  after  day  O  Hana  sat  under  the  cherry  tree,  look¬ 
ing  like  a  very  miserable  little  withered  flower,  indeed. 

“  O  Hana  must  be  sick,”  said  mother.  “  She  will  not  eat 
her  rice  and  fish.” 

“  She  is  growing  thin,”  said  father. 

O  Hana  really  did  make  herself  sick  from  mourning  over 
the  honorable  teacher’s  comb,  which  she  still  carried  in  the 
silken  fold  of  her  obi,  and  over  her  fright  of  the  Fox 
Woman. 

“  I  will  call  the  honorable  doctor  that  lives  in  the  American 
school  ”  said  father.  “  He  knows  much  about  the  sickness 
of  children.” 

So  the  doctor  came  to  see  little  O  Hana,  and  when  she 
looked  into  his  kind  face,  something  gave  her  courage  to  tell 
the  secret  she  could  not  keep  a  minute  longer. 

“  Magnificent  doctor  of  the  American  school,  will  you 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


309 


take  this  back  to  the  honorable  teacher  with  the  golden  hair  ? 
The  Fox  Woman  has  got  her!  The  Fox  Woman  has  made 
her  sick.  She  lost  it  under  the  cushion!  It  are  vanish  from 
her  head!  Will  you  take  it  back?’’ 

This  was  quite  a  jumble,  and  the  doctor  was  puzzled  at 
first.  But  he  knew  whom  little  O  Hana  meant  by  the 
teacher  with  the  golden  hair,  and  he  remembered  the  comb. 

He  knew,  too,  that  poor  little  O  Hana  was  suffering  from 
fright  of  some  kind. 

“And  who  is  the  Fox  Woman,  dear?”  he  said.  “Tell 
me  all  about  it.” 

“  The  honorable  Miss  Golden-Hair  came  to  see  my  mother, 
and  sit  on  the  cushion  and  eat  sweetmeats  and  drink  tea  with 
the  adorable  comb  in  her  head  ” — O  Hana  stopped. 

“  And  then  ” — helped  the  doctor. 

“  And  then  she  bow  and  it  fell  out  and  it  vanish  from 
her  head.” 

“  And  then  you  ” — helped  the  doctor. 

“  Then  I  found  it  and — and  put  it  in  my  obi  and  went  out 
into  the  garden — and — and  put  it  into  my  own  head.” 

“  Yes,”  smiled  the  doctor,  who  began  to  understand. 
“And  what  about  the  Fox  Woman?” 

“  She  came  after  honorable  teacher  because  the  comb  was 
gone,”  sobbed  O  Hana. 

“  Oh,  the  comb  was  Miss  Golden-Hair’s  charm,  you  think,” 
said  the  doctor. 

“  Well,  little  O  Hana,  you  will  be  glad  to  know  that  Miss 
Golden-Hair  is  quite  well  again,  and  you  need  not  be  afraid 
that  the  Fox  Woman  is  troubling  her  at  all. 

“  In  a  day  or  two,  when  you  are  better,  you  may  come 
with  me  and  give  her  back  her  comb,  and  she  will  tell  you  a 
story.  Now  take  this  medicine  and  shut  your  brown  eyes 
and  take  a  nap.  You  will  feel  much  better  when  you  wake 
up.  I  will  come  again  to-morrow.  The  Fox  Woman  cannot 
come  to  the  American  school.” 

No  one  could  help  minding  the  most  excellent  American 
doctor,  so  O  Hana  was  soon  fast  asleep,  and,  as  the  doctor 
saw  in  two  days,  she  was  quite  herself  again,  ready  for  the 
expected  visit  to  honorable  Miss  Golden-Hair. 

And  what  a  visit  that  was !  The  honorable  teacher  with 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


the  golden  hair  told  her  stories  as  they  sat  together  on  the 
veranda. 

O  Hana  asked  if  she  could  come  again. 

“  Certainly  you  may,  my  dear,”  answered  Miss  Teacher 
from  Afar.  “  And  if  the  comb  is  the  means  of  bringing  you 
into  our  school,  it  will  indeed  be  a  treasure,  but  it  certainly 
is  not  a  charm  to  keep  the  Fox  Woman  away.” 

Not  long  afterwards  father  let  O  Hana  go  to  the  American 
school,  and  she  learned  how  foolish  she  had  been  to  believe 
the  story  of  the  Fox  Woman. 

Better  than  that,  she  learned  to  read  for  herself  the  beau¬ 
tiful  stories  in  the  Book  of  God  which  Miss  Teacher  had 
come  all  the  way  to  the  land  of  the  cherry  blossoms  to  bring 
to  the  little  children. 

Devotional  Service 
a  bibee  reading  lesson 

THE  SELEISH  BROTHER 

“  Now  his  elder  son  was  in  the  field:  and  as  he  came  and 
drew  nigh  to  the  house,  he  heard  music  and  dancing .... 

But  he  was  angry,  and  would  not  go  in :  and  his  father 
came  out,  and  entreated  him. 

But  he  answered  and  said  to  his  father,  Lo,  these  many 
years  do  I  serve  thee,  and  I  never  transgressed  a  command¬ 
ment  of  thine ;  and  yet  thou  never  gavest  me  a  kid,  that  I 
might  make  merry  with  my  friends :  but  when  this  thy  son 
came,. .  .thou  killedst  for  him  the  fatted  calf. 

And  he  said  unto  him,  Son,  thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all 
that  is  mine  is  thine.  But  it  was  meet  to  make  merry  and  be 
glad:  for  this  thy  brother.  .  .was  lost,  and  is  found.” — Luke 
15:25,  28-32. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  may  we  never  be  selfish  with  the  love 
that  thou  hast  given  to  all  the  world.  May  we  ever  be  ready 
to  do  our  part,  that  other  children  may  have  their  rightful 
share.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 

Represent  phases  of  Japanese  life  on  the  sand  table. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


311 


Make  cut-outs  of  dolls;  make  paper  flowers,  such  as  the 
chrysanthemum. 

Make  little  lanterns  or  fans. 

Make  a  special  collection  for  the  Kanazawa  Mission. 

Blackboard  Drawing 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

JESUS  HELPING  A  MOTHER  AND  CHILD 

Matthew  15:21-28 
Memory  Verse 

“  Love  ye  therefore  the  sojourner;  for  ye  were  sojourners 
in  the  land  of  Egypt.” — Deuteronomy  10:19. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

The  story  chosen  for  to-day  is  most  excellent  to  use  in 
connection  with  our  series  of  lessons  in  social  service,  in 
that  it  points  in  a  marvelously  true  manner  to  the  Christ- 
like  way  of  treating  those  who  may  be  likened  to  the  “  so¬ 
journers  ”  in  our  own  land.  Kindness  and  sympathy  should 
be  shown  to  those  who  are  strangers  in  our  country.  If 
the  children  can  be  taught  to  consider  how  they  themselves 
would  feel  and  act  were  they  placed  in  similar  circumstances, 
a  great  step  toward  reaching  the  right  point  of  view  will  be 
taken. 

The  Lesson  Setting 

Jesus  had  attended  the  third  passover  at  Jerusalem  since 
the  beginning  of  his  ministry.  He  had  gained  a  greater  and 
more  enthusiastic  following  from  the  ordinary  people,  who 
“  heard  him  gladly,”  and  a  corresponding  hatred  from  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees  of  Jerusalem.  They  feared  the  results 
of  his  growing  popularity ;  they  were  aroused  to  fury. 

Herod  Antipas  was  superstitiously  afraid  of  Jesus,  as¬ 
sociating  him  closely  with  John  the  Baptist  whom  he  had 
murdered. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Jerusalem  animosity  toward  Jesus  was 
especially  pronounced,  and  it  was  constantly  spreading  to¬ 
ward  the  districts  of  the  north. 

Jesus  knew  that  his  earthly  life  with  his  disciples  was 


312 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


313 


rapidly  drawing  toward  its  close,  and  he  stressed  his  teach¬ 
ings  in  every  way  possible,  by  precept,  by  story,  and,  when¬ 
ever  opportunity  presented  itself,  by  concrete  example. 

One  of  his  missions  was  to  impress  the  fact  of  the  “  wide¬ 
ness  ”  of  his  gospel ;  of  the  misconception  which  the  ex¬ 
clusive  Pharisees  held;  of  the  mistake  of  saying  that  his 
gospel  was  an  “  exclusive  ”  gospel,  of  the  unloveliness  of 
selfishness  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  love. 

A  remarkable  opportunity  came  when  he  met  the  Syro- 
phoenician  woman,  who1  came  imploring  aid  for  her  afflicted 
daughter. 

To  escape  for  a  time  the  accusing  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
Jesus,  accompanied  by  his  twelve  disciples,  left  Galilee  and 
and  directed  his  course  to  the  north,  in  the  direction  of  Tyre 
and  Sidon. 

The  road  led  over  the  highlands,  in  view  of  snowy  Mount 
Lebanon,  then  on  toward  the  plain  where  Tyre  is  located 
on  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  Tyre  was  a  city  of  great  age ; 
it  is  thought  to  have  been  founded  about  2750  b.c.  In  the 
minds  of  Jesus  and  his  disciples  it  was  probably  thought  of 
as  the  city  to  whose  king,  Hiram,  David  applied  for  aid  in 
obtaining  lumber  for  building  the  Temple.  The  Tyrians 
were  a  people  devoted  to  commerce,  and  they  naturally  were 
familiar  with  the  seas. 

Among  their  products  were  metal  and  glassware,  and  they 
were  especially  noted  for  their  beautiful  dyes,  particularly 
the  far-famed  “  Tyrian  purple  ”  obtained  from  fish  abound¬ 
ing  in  the  waters  of  the  vicinity. 

Their  trade  made  them  princelike  in  wealth,  and  their 
wares  were  famous  among  all  the  nations. 

But  the  Tyrians,  with  all  their  property,  were  not  recog¬ 
nized  as  equals  by  the  scribes  and  Pharisees.  They  were 
idolaters,  their  god  being  Baal.  They  belonged  to  the  de¬ 
spised  Canaanitish  race. 

The  Canaanitish  woman  (Syrophoenician)  came  to  Jesus 
with  her  agonized  request.  Here  was  an  opportunity  to 
teach  the  disciples  a  very  forceful  concrete  lesson. 

Thl  Story 

A  long  journey  over  a  rocky  road  in  the  days  when  Jesus 
lived  on  earth  would  make  the  feet  very  tired. 


314 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


When  a  traveler  started  he  put  on  his  stoutest,  strongest 
sandals,  as  the  shoes  were  called. 

Sandals  would  be  odd-looking  things  to  see  on  a  traveler’s 
feet  to-day.  They  were  made  of  leather,  something  like 
the  sole  of  your  shoe,  and  fastened  on  with  a  strip  of  leather, 
which  was  passed  under  the  foot,  and  then  crossed  at  the 
ankles  and  tied. 

The  skin  of  the  foot  was  kept  from  the  sharp  stones,  in¬ 
deed,  but  how  the  dust  soiled  and  how  it  tired !  No  wonder 
the  sandals  must  be  taken  off  and  left  at  the  door  when  a 
house  was  reached,  and  the  feet  bathed  in  cool,  cleansing 
water ! 

One  day  Jesus  and  his  twelve  disciples  started  on  a  long 
journey.  Much  of  the  way  was  through  a  rough  and  rocky 
country.  They  had  strapped  their  sandals  on  their  feet,  and 
girded  their  mantles  about  them. 

The  scribes  and  proud  Pharisees  were  angry  at  Jesus  for 
helping  the  common  people.  They  were  seeking  to  harm 
him.  This  was  why  it  was  best  for  him  to  go  away  for  a 
little  while. 

Jesus  was  very  sorry  to  see  how  the  proud  and  the  rich 
often  treated  those  who  were  poorer,  and  those  who  did  not 
belong  to  the  same  nation  as  themselves. 

Whenever  he  could,  he  taught  a  lesson  about  the  right 
way  to  treat  these  people. 

As  Jesus  and  his  followers  walked  along,  Jesus  talked  to 
them.  This  made  the  way  seem  less  hard  to  travel. 

After  many  miles  the  road  became  more  smooth,  and  by 
and  by  they  came  in  sight  of  a  beautiful  city  by  a  sea. 

It  was  the  rich  and  wonderful  city  of  Tyre,  and  its  roofs 
and  towers  looked  very  beautiful  as  the  bright  sun  shone 
upon  them. 

But  the  Jews — the  scribes  and  the  Pharisees — despised  the 
people  who  lived  in  this  land.  They  belonged  to  a  different 
nation ;  they  were  different  in  very  many  ways. 

As  Jesus  and  his  disciples  walked  along,  a  woman  drew 
near.  She  was  in  great  trouble,  and  her  face  looked  sad. 
Her  little  girl  was  very  ill  at  her  home. 

“  Help  me !  O  Lord,  help  me !”  she  cried.  “  My  little 
daughter  is  very  ill.” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


315 


The  disciples  glanced  at  the  woman.  She  was  not  a 
Jewess. 

“  She  is  one  of  these  Canaanites  that  live  about  here,  a 
foreigner,’’  they  thought  to  themselves. 

“  Jesus  is  not  for  her,”  said  each  man  to  himself. 

“  Send  her  away ;  for  she  crieth  after  us,”  they  said. 

But  Jesus  said,  “  I  did  not  come  only  for  the  Jewish  peo¬ 
ple,  but  for  all.” 

The  woman  worshiped  Jesus  and  said,  “Lord,  help  me!” 

Jesus  thought  that  he  would  test  her,  and  also  teach  a 
lesson  to  his  disciples. 

“  It  is  not  right  to  take  the  children’s  bread  and  cast  it 
to  the  dogs,”  said  Jesus. 

The  Jewish  people  had  a  very  wrong  way  of  calling  any¬ 
one  who  was  not  a  Jew  a  dog.  He  let  his  disciples  hear  how 
it  sounded. 

But  the  woman  said,  “  Yea,  Lord :  for  even  the  dogs  eat 
of  the  crumbs  which  fall  from  their  masters’  table.” 

This  was  the  same  as  saying,  “Yes,  Jesus;  but  others 
may  have  a  share  of  thee  after  the  Jews  have  had  their 
share.” 

Jesus  was  very  much  pleased  with  her  answer. 

“  You  are  right ;  I  have  come  for  all,”  he  said.  “  Because 
thou  believest  this,  thou  shalt  have  thy  wish.  Thy  daughter 
is  healed.” 

And  when  the  mother  went  home,  she  found  her  child 
happy  and  well. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  And  they  were  bringing  unto  him  little  children,  that  he 
should  touch  them. .  .  . 

“  Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto  me;  forbid  them 
not:  for  to  such  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  God..  . . 

“  And  he  took  them  in  his  arms,  and  blessed  them,  laying 
his  hands  upon  them.” — Mark  10:13,  14,  16. 

Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  remember  this  lesson  about 

t 


316 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


being  kind  to  those  who  belong  to  a  different  nation  from 
ourselves,  to  those  who  are  strangers  in  our  land.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 


Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Cut  a  paper  model  of  a  sandal. 

Do  one  especially  kind  deed  to  a  foreigner. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  IMMIGRANT  CHILD 
Matthew  15:21-28  (Review) 

Memory  Verse 

“  Love  ye  therefore  the  sojourner;  for  ye  were  sojourners 
in  the  land  of  Egypt.” — Deuteronomy  10:19. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

These  lessons  on  “  the  stranger  ”  or  the  “  foreigner  ”  may 
be  made  very  practical  to  your  pupils.  There  are  few  lo¬ 
calities  where  the  immigrants  are  not  found,  and  the  chil¬ 
dren  are  thrown  into  close  association  with  these  other 
children  in  very  many  of  the  public  schools. 

Your  pupils  can  be  taught  to  put  themselves  in  the  posi¬ 
tion  in  which  these  little  children  have  found  themselves.  It 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


317 


will  not  be  difficult  to  picture  their  loneliness  among  stran¬ 
gers  ;  their  awkwardness  because  of  the  unaccustomed  sur¬ 
roundings  ;  their  disadvantages  because  of  their  ignorance 
of  customs ;  their  helplessness  because  of  language  diffi¬ 
culties. 

These  things  call  for  sympathy  rather  than  for  the  ridicule 
which  they  sometimes  receive,  and  much  of  that  sympathy 
may  be  given  by  the  children  to  the  children. 

Review  the  story  of  Jesus’  encounter  with  the  foreign 
woman,  and  stress  particularly  his  kindness  to  her.  Then 
tell  a  story  of  an  everyday  association  with  those  of  other 
lands,  such  as  the  following. 

The  Story 

Silas,  who  was  chauffeur,  gardener,  and  helper  in  general 
for  Charlotte’s  father,  came  in  one  morning  and  announced 
a  piece  of  news  in  a  very  indignant  voice. 

“  An  Italian  family’s  come  to  live  in  de  little  house  down 
by  de  orchard  road !” 

Father  had  to  catch  the  train  for  the  city,  and  scarcely 
put  down  the  paper  he  was  reading  while  he  drank  his  last 
bit  of  coffee,  so  he  answered  absent-mindedly:  “Well,  Silas, 
I  can  trust  you.  Hurry  the  car  round  here ;  we’ll  be  just  in 
time.  I’ll  have  to  hear  about  this  another  day.” 

“  Yes,  suh,”  answered  Silas  whose  greatest  pride  was  his 
ability  to  drive  a  car,  and  to  get  Charlotte’s  father  to  the 
train. 

But  an  Italian  family  in  the  house  by  the  orchard  road ! 
Silas  hated  Italians !  Besides,  the  little  house  by  the  orchard 
road  had  long,  long  been  occupied  by  colored  families,  and 
now  that  it  was  empty,  Silas  had  hoped- to  get  it  for  his  sister 
and  her  little  family. 

“  I’s  powerful  disappointed  !”  said  Silas  to  himself.  “  Yes 
suh,  I’s  powerful  disappointed ;  but  I  reckon  mebbe  I  kin 
git  em  out !”  which  wasn’t  a  very  nice  thing  for  Silas  to 
say  to  himself  at  all. 

“  Them  chillun  shore  will  be  gittin  into  mischief !”  And 
he  nodded  wisely. 

But  the  days  passed  by,  and  Silas  saw  very  little  indeed 
of  the  children  who  lived  in  the  little  house. 


318 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  Mother,  there  are  five  of  them,  I  know.  There  is  a  lit¬ 
tle  girl  about  as  old  as  I  am ;  she  has  big,  brown  eyes,  and 
I’d  like  to  speak  to  her,  but  she  always  hurries  past,”  said 
Charlotte  to  her  mother. 

One  thing  only  could  Silas  find  to  make  complaints  about : 
“  Dat  old  dawg  which  follows  de  biggest  Italian  boy.” 

It  was  “  dat  old  dawg  ”  that  Silas  was  “  shore  ”  must  have 
broken  up  the  setting  hen’s  nest.  It  was  the  Italian  “  dawg  ” 
that  teased  the  calf.  The  Italian  “  dawg  ”  frightened  his  lit¬ 
tle  nephews  when  they  came  to  see  him.  It  was  even  the 
Italian  “  dawg  ”  that  got  into  the  cellar  and  spoiled  the 
watermelon. 

“  But  a  dog  doesn’t  care  for  watermelons,  Silas,”  said 
Charlotte.  “  I  think  it  was  a  rat.” 

“You’ve  never  actually  seen  any  of  these  things,  Silas?” 
queried  father. 

“  No,  suh,  but  it’s  the  onliest  way  I  kin  think  of.  I’s 
powerful  certain  it  must  ov  been  that  Italian  boy’s  dawg.” 

Not  long  after  Silas  had  accused  the  Italian  boy’s  dog  of 
stealing  the  sponge  with  which  he  washed  the  automobile, 
and  while  he  was  washing  the  car  with  a  brand-new  sponge, 
somehow,  he  slipped  and  fell  in  the  garage. 

Crack !  The  muscles  of  poor  Silas’  ankle  were  wrenched 
out  of  place !  He  tried  to  get  up,  but  fell  back  with  a  groan. 

“  It’s  broke  !  It  shore  is  broke !  And  it  do  hurt !” 

Then  he  began  to  call :  “  Mis’  Charlotte  !  Mis’  Charlotte  !” 
But  Charlotte  was  somewhere  playing,  and  her  mother  was 
in  a  part  of  the  house  which  the  sound  could  not  reach. 

“  Oh  !  Oh  !  Oh  !”  yelled  Silas  with  pain  and  fright. 

Then  presently  he  heard  footsteps,  and  the  Italian  boy 
stood  in  the  doorway  with  his  dog. 

“  Oh  !  Oh  !  Oh  !”  groaned  Silas. 

“  What-a  you  done  to  yourself?”  asked  the  boy.  “You 
break-de  foot,  yes?”  The  dog  gave  a  yelp  of  sympathy. 

“  Go  call  Mis’  Charlotte,  the  big  Mis’  Charlotte,”  begged 
Silas. 

“  The  little  girl’s  mother  ?”  asked  the  boy. 

“  Yes  ;  hurry  up,”  begged  Silas. 

The  boy  went  to  the  house  and  found  Charlotte’s  mother, 
and  told  her  about  the  accident, 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


319 


“  Oh,  L’m  so  sorry !  And  the  telephone  is  out  of  order  this 
morning !  I  tried  to  use  it  a  few  minutes  ago  and  couldn’t !” 

“  I’ll  tell-a  the  doctor,  leddy !  See !  I’m  to  tak-a  de  roses 
to  de  store.  I’ll  hurry !”  said  the  boy. 

“  Why,  thank  you,  dear  child,”  answered  Charlotte’s 
mother  gratefully.  “  You  are  one  of  the  little  children  who 
have  moved  into  the  house  by  the  orchard  road,  are  you 
not  ?” 

So  Pietro  hurried  away  with  his  dog  at  his  heels,  and 
Charlotte  and  her  mother  went  to  find  Silas.  They  helped 
him  to  a  chair  and  were  making  him  as  comfortable  as  pos¬ 
sible  when  the  doctor’s  automobile  drew  up,  and  Silas  was 
given  into  the  physician’s  care. 

Charlotte  turned  to  see  the  brown-eyed  little  Italian  girl 
looking  sympathetically  at  the  broken  foot. 

“  Is  he  hurted  much  ?”  she  asked. 

“  I  hope  not,  dear ;  but  we  are  thankful  to  your  brother 
for  lending  a  helping  hand.  A  real  good  little  Samaritan  he 
proved  himself,”  said  mother. 

“  I  brung  you  dis,”  she  said  shyly  to  Charlotte. 

“  Oh,  the  lovely  rose !”  exclaimed  Charlotte.  “  Did  it 
grow  in  your  garden  ?”  and  she  started  to  smell  it. 

“  No,”  laughed  the  little  Italian  girl.  “  I  made  it !” 

“You  made  it!”  echoed  Charlotte. 

“  We  make-a  de  roses  at  our  house.  Hundreds  and  hun¬ 
dreds  of  roses  for  de  hats.  Raphael,  Maria,  Lucia, 
Philomena,”  said  the  little  girl,  pointing  to  herself.  “  Pietro 
take-a  them  to  de  store.” 

“  O  mother,  may  I  go  and  see?”  cried  Charlotte  excitedly. 

“  Yes,  dear ;  and  I  will  go  along.  Here,  let  us  take  a 
basket  of  these  pears  from  the  garden.” 

“  Like-a  de  garden  of  de  rich  man  in  my  countrie,  Italia,” 
said  Philomena,  wistfully.  “I  make-a  all-a  my ^ roses  like-a 
de  roses  in  de  rich  man’s  garden  in  my  countrie.” 

They  reached  the  tiny  house.  There  in  the  front  room 
they  worked,  all  the  little  family  except  the  baby  who  played 
with  one  of  Philomena’s  roses  in  a  chair  by  mother’s  side.. 

The  table  was  piled  high  like  a  mountain  with  bits  of  silk 
and  rosy  petals  and  pieces  of  wire. 

Such  earnest,  grown-up  faces  for  little  children . 

The  mother  rose  and  told  something  of  their  story :  In 

A. 


320 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


their  own  country  they  had  been  quite  comfortable  before  the 
war.  Father  was  a  gardener  for  one  of  the  nobles ;  but  he 
had  been  killed,  and  the  family  had  come  to  America  as  a 
haven. 

“  I  could  not  keep-a  de  children  in  de  great  city,”  said 
mother.  “  I  begged  for  a  place  near  a  garden.  The  man 
that  dug-a  de  well,”  she  pointed  to  a  new  dwelling,  “  he  live 
in  New  York.  He  tell-a  me  about  dis.  I  come.” 

“  And  so  you  settled  near  our  garden,”  said  mother  smil¬ 
ing. 

“  O,  mother,  they  are  really  our  little  neighbors  from 
across  the  sea,”  exclaimed  Charlotte.  “  What  fun  we’ll  have 
in  getting  acquainted.” 

And  one  little  Italian  family  had  a  royal  welcome  after 
that  day.  Even  Silas  and  the  dog  became  the  finest  of 
friends. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“Oh  sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song: 

Sing  unto  Jehovah,  all  the  earth.” 

— Psalm  96:1. 

“He  doth  execute  justice  for  the  fatherless  and  widow,  and 
loveth  the  sojourner,  in  giving  him  food  and  raiment.  Love  ye 
therefore  the  sojourner;  for  ye  were  sojourners  in  the  land  of 
Egypt.” — Deuteronomy  10:18,  19. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  always  to  try  to  remember  how 
we  should  like  to  be  treated,  were  we  strangers  in  a  strange 
land.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Do  some  especially  kind  thing  for  a  foreign  child  this 
week. 


LEARNING  TO  KNOW  AND  TO  DO  GOD’S  WILL 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

MOSES  THE  PRINCE 
Exodus  1:7-14,  22;  2:1-10 
Memory  Verse 

“Certainly  I  will  be  with  thee.” — Exodus  3:12a. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

God’s  people,  the  Israelites,  had  been  living  in  Egypt 
since  the  time  when  Joseph,  having  received  his  vision  of  the 
coming  famine  through  God’s  revelation,  made  himself  so 
indispensable  to  Pharaoh,  the  king.  In  return  for  his  in¬ 
estimable  services  Pharaoh  invited  the  family  of  Joseph  to 
leave  the  famine-stricken  districts  of  Canaan  and  come  to 
Egypt,  giving  them  a  home  in  the  Land  of  Goshen. 

This  Pharaoh  belonged  to  the  Hyksos  dynasty,  the  Shep¬ 
herd  Kings,  who  had  seized  the  government  from  the  real 
Egyptians. 

The  Jews  were  happy  and  prosperous  in  the  fertile  coun¬ 
try,  and  became  a  constantly  increasing  nation  as  the  years 
passed  on.  Indeed,  they  became  educated  in  a  civilization 
far  superior  to  their  own  simple  manner  of  life  in  the  land 
of  Canaan,  for  Egypt  was  a  center  of  all  luxury  and  splendor 
of  the  then-known  world. 

But  a  new  dynasty  arose ;  the  Hyksos  were  deposed,  and 
the  Egyptians  came  into  their  own  again.  An  unfriendly 
Pharaoh  began  to  take  alarm  because  of  the  strength  and 
prosperity  of  the  foreign  element  in  their  land.  So  the 
Hebrews  were  reduced  to  a  condition  of  slavery,  and  in 
every  way  their  lives  were  made  wretched. 

They  were  compelled  to  perform  all  the  menial  tasks  for 
the  rich,  their  masters,  the  Egyptians,  and  to  engage  in  all 
the  hardest  labor  in  the  great  building  enterprises  for  which 
that  Pharaoh  was  famous. 


323 


324 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  Bible  describes  their  weariness,  and  the  injustice  of 
the  taskmasters  as  the  slaves  made  bricks  under  the  burning 
Egyptian  sun. 

The  native  Egyptians  desired  the  extermination  of  the 
hated  race,  so  Pharaoh  cruelly  ordered  that  every  male  child 
that  was  born  should  be  thrown  into  the  River  Nile. 

Our  story  for  to-day  relates  how  the  little  Moses,  destined 
to  become  the  emancipator  of  his  people,  was  saved  from 
the  decree. 


The:  Story 

Many,  many  years  ago,  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  there  lived 
a  little  girl  and  a  boy  who  had  a  tiny,  baby  brother. 

Miriam  was  the  oldest  of  the  family ;  then  came  Aaron. 
Aaron  was  three  years  old  when  his  baby  brother  was  born. 

The  two  children  thought  that  little  Moses  was  the  dearest 
baby  they  ever  had  seen. 

“  Isn’t  he  beautiful,  mother?”  Miriam  would  say  a  dozen 
times  a  day. 

Little  Aaron  would  look  down  into  the  baby’s  face  and 
smile,  when  mother  showed  him  his  little  brother. 

“  Yes,  baby  Moses  is  a  beautiful  child.  But  children, 
do  not  tell  anyone  that  you  have  a  baby  brother.  Do  not 
tell  anyone !”  Mother  spoke  very  soberly,  as  a  troubled 
look  came  into  her  face. 

“  Miriam,  child,  sometimes  mother  will  leave  the  baby 
in  your  care.  Try  to  keep  him  from  crying !  No  one  must 
hear  him.  If  the  king  finds  out  that  you  have  a  baby  brother, 
our  little  Moses  will  be  thrown  into  the  river  Nile!” 

“  Wicked  king !”  Miriam’s  dark  eyes  flashed. 

“  Miriam  will  keep  the  secret,”  thought  mother  to  herself. 
“  But  Aaron  is  so  little,  only  three  years  old.  Sometimes  I 
am  afraid  ” — 

Then  she  told  the  story  all  over  again :  how  Pharaoh,  the 
king,  hated  the  Hebrew  people;  how  he  had  made  them 
slaves;  how  he  made  the  fathers  work  day  after  day,  lifting 
great  heavy  loads  of  bricks  to  the  builders  who  were  mak¬ 
ing  Pharaoh’s  wonderful  buildings ;  how  some  of  the  fathers 
had  to  make  the  bricks. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


325 


“  Now  the  taskmasters  make  father  work  harder  than 
ever,”  said  mother  as  the  tears  filled  her  eyes. 

“  Wicked  king  !”  said  Miriam. 

“  But  the  crudest  thing  that  Pharaoh  has  done  is  to  corn- 
mand  that  all  the  little,  newborn  baby  boys  shall  be  thrown 
into  the  river,”  said  mother  as  she  gathered  baby  Moses  close 
to  her  breast. 

So  the  days  passed,  and  the  baby  grew  sweeter,  and  they 
loved  him  more  dearly.  One  month,  two  months  passed,  and 
at  last  the  baby  was  three  months  old. 

“  I  am  afraid  that  I  can  hide  him  no  longer,”  thought 
mother  to  herself. 

One  day  she  went  down  to  the  river  and  gathered  some 
reeds.  She  made  a  cunning  basket,  just  large  enough  to  hold 
the  baby. 

She  daubed  it  with  pitch  and  made  it  water-tight,  so  that 
it  should  not  sink.  Then  she  kissed  her  baby,  placed  him 
in  the  basket,  and  carried  it  down  to  the  river.  She  then 
hid  it  among  the  tall  grasses. 

“  Watch,  Miriam,”  she  said,  “  and  if  anyone  comes,  run 
and  tell  me.” 

The  little  sister  watched  faithfully.  Presently  she  heard 
footsteps.  Nearer  and  nearer  they  came. 

“  Oh,  it  is  the  princess !  It  is  the  king’s  daughter !” 
thought  Miriam. 

It  was,  indeed,  Pharaoh’s  daughter.  She  was  coming  to 
the  river  with  her  maids  to  bathe. 

“  What  is  that  little  basket  among  the  reeds  ?”  she  said. 

Then  Miriam  heard  her  command  one  of  her  maids,  “  Go 
and  get  it  for  me !” 

The  maid  brought  the  basket.  “  Open  it !”  said  the  prin¬ 
cess. 

“  A  baby !”  she  exclaimed.  “  What  a  beautiful  child  it  is  ! 
It  must  be  one  of  the  Hebrew  children!” 

The  baby  began  to  cry.  “  Poor  little  child !”  said  the 
princess. 

Miriam  drew  near.  “  Shall  I  go  and  get  a  good  nurse  to 
help  you  take  care  of  the  baby?”  she  asked,  while  her  heart 
thumped  so  loudly  that  she  was  afraid  the  princess  would 

hear  it. 


326 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  Yes,  go !”  said  the  great  lady. 

Miriam  ran  home  as  fast  as  she  could. 

“  Mother,  O  mother,  come  quickly !  The  king’s  daughter 
has  found  the  baby !  She  has  sent  me  to  find  a  good  nurse. 
Come  quickly,  mother ;  come  quickly !” 

The  mother  hurried  to  the  river  bank,  and  soon  held  her 
dear  baby  in  her  arms. 

“  Take  care  of  him  for  me,”  said  the  princess.  “  I  shall 
bring  him  up  as  my  son.” 

So  little  Moses  was  brought  up  as  a  prince  of  the  land 
of  Egypt. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  Oh  sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song: 

Sing  unto  Jehovah,  all  the  earth. 

Sing  unto  Jehovah,  bless  his  name; 

Show  forth  his  salvation  from  day  to  day.... 

For  great  is  Jehovah,  and  greatly  to  be  praised : 

He  is  to  be  feared  above  all  gods.” 

— Psalm  96:1,  2,  4. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  that  thou  knowest  what 
is  happening  in  the  world  which  is  thine,  and  that  thou 
carest  for  thine  own.  We  thank  thee  that  thou  hast  a  plan 
for  the  lives  of  thy  children.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Have  a  short  talk  about  the  character  of  the  buildings  in 
ancient  Egypt,  and  make  a  sand-table  representation.  (See 
the  blackboard  sketch.) 

Make  an  impromptu  dramatization  of  the  story. 

Scene  I 

Conversation  between  the  mother  and  the  two  children, 
Miriam  and  Aaron.  A  doll  may  represent  the  baby. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


327 


ScLNIv  II 

Miriam  watching  basket.  The  Egyptian  princess  and  her 
attendants  approach. 

The  conversation  between  Miriam  and  the  princess. 
Miriam  brings  her  mother,  and  the  princess  gives  the 
baby  into  her  care. 


Blackboard  Decoration 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  PRINCE  BECOMES  A  SHEPHERD 

Exodus  2:11-21;  3:1-12,  17;  4:1-5;  Hebrews  11:23-25 

Memory  Verse 

“  Certainly  I  will  he  with  thee.” — Exodus  3:12a. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Recent  discoveries  are  shedding  a  remarkable  light  upon 
the  wonderful  civilization  attained  in  ancient  Egypt.  In  the 
Valley  of  the  Kings,  near  Luxor,  one  of  the  greatest 
archaeological  discoveries  of  all  time  has  been  made  in  the 
finding  of  the  burial  chambers  of  the  Egyptian  King  Tutank¬ 
hamen.  The  relics  buried  with  the  king  show  the  splendor 
and  luxury  of  the  life  of  that  age. 


328 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Magnificent  beds  and  couches  of  gilt  inlaid  with  ivory  and 
semiprecious  stones;  beautiful  boxes  decorated  with  ebony 
and  ivory,  containing  embroidered  robes,  jewels,  and  golden 
sandals ;  golden  chariots  incrusted  with  embellishments  of 
carnelian,  turquoise,  lapis  lazuli,  and  alabaster  vases  of 
exquisite  workmanship — these  and  many  other  objects 
testify  to  the  wonderful  state  of  development  of  the  Egyp¬ 
tian  race. 

Ramses  II  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  Pharaoh  of  the 
oppression.  He  began  his  sovereignty  when  very  young,  and 
had  a  long  reign.  Egypt  reached  a  high  state  of  prosperity 
under  his  rule,  and  he  was  a  great  warrior. 

Meneptah  II  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  Pharaoh  of  the 
Exodus.  He  is  believed  to  have  been  the  thirteenth  son  of 
Ramses  II. 

The  daughter  of  Pharaoh  brought  up  the  child  Moses, 
and  he  had  all  the  advantages  of  a  prince  of  this  land  of 
luxury  and  culture.  This,  added  to  the  natural  gifts  which 
had  been  bestowed  upon  him  by  birth,  rendered  him  re¬ 
markably  prepared  to  become  the  leader  of  God’s  people, 
which  was  his  destiny. 

The  court  life  must  have  been  exceedingly  attractive  to 
the  young,  adopted  prince,  but  Moses  remembered  that  he 
really  belonged  to  the  suffering  Hebrew  people,  and  when 
he  realized  that  God  had  called  him  for  the  special  mission 
of  extricating  them  from  their  misery,  he  returned  to  his 
own  race. 


The;  Story 

Little  Prince  Moses  had  so  many  beautiful  things  that 
he  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  them  all. 

His  robes  were  made  of  the  costliest  cloth  and  were  richly 
embroidered.  He  wore  sandals  such  as  only  princes  could 
afford.  He  had  a  beautiful  ring  upon  his  finger. 

When  he  was  tired  of  play,  he  rested  upon  a  couch  of 
gold  inlaid  with  lovely,  colored  stones. 

When  he  was  hungry,  servants  brought  him  delicious  food 
on  beautiful  dishes. 

When  he  was  hot,  a  servant  fanned  him  with  a  great,  long- 
handled  fan  made  of  gorgeous  feathers. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


329 


Whenever  he  liked,  he  went  to  ride  in  a  golden-wheeled 
chariot. 

The  years  passed  on,  and  each  birthday  that  came  found 
Moses  a  little  stronger,  a  little  taller,  a  little  wiser.  He  was 
a  great  favorite  in  the  palace.  The  king’s  daughter  loved 
him  dearly ;  and  even  the  king,  her  father,  grew  very  fond 
of  the  handsome  bov. 

J 

There  was  one  however,  who  loved  him  more  dearly  than 
all  others :  his  nurse,  who  really  was  his  own  mother. 

By  and  by  the  prince  was  old  enough  to  go  to  watch 
the  workers  on  the  new  buildings  that  the  king  was  having 
made.  He  saw  the  burden  bearers,  the  brickmakers. 

He  saw  the  taskmasters  strike  the  slow,  and  the  tired, 
and  the  old  who  could  not  keep  up  with  the  work. 

He  heard  the  groans  of  those  who  were  overworked ;  he 
heard  the  cruel  voices  of  the  king’s  taskmasters. 

“  Who  are  these  who  do  the  king’s  work  ?”  he  asked. 

Probably  it  was  his  mother  nurse  who  told  him.  They 
were  the  Hebrews,  his  own  people,  slaves  of  Pharaoh ! 

And  so  Moses  learned  more  and  more  about  these  things 
as  the  days  passed  on,  and  he  thought  more  about  them  than 
he  did  about  the  embroidered  robes  and  the  dainty  food,  and 
the  golden  chariot.  At  times  his  face  was  very  sad. 

One  day  he  saw  an  Egyptian  taskmaster  whip  one  of  his 
people. 

There  seemed  to  be  no  one  near.  Moses  flew  at  the  man 
angrily.  He  struck  him !  He  struck  harder  than  he  in¬ 
tended  !  The  man  was  killed !  Moses  buried  him  in  the 
sand. 

The  next  day  he  went  out  and  saw  two  Hebrews  quar¬ 
reling.  He  said  to  the  man  who  did  the  wrong,  “  Why  do 
you  smite  your  fellow  worker?” 

“Who  made  you  a  prince  and  a  judge  over  us?”  an¬ 
swered  the  man,  turning  angrily.  “  Do  you  think  you  can 
kill  me  as  you  killed  the  Egyptian,  yesterday?” 

Moses’  wicked,  wicked  deed  had  been  seen !  He  was 
afraid. 

He  did  not  dare  to  go  back  to  the  palace ;  he  left  all  the 
beautiful  things  that  had  been  given  to  him,  and  ran  away 
to  save  his  life. 

He  hurried  to  a  place  called  Midian  where  shepherds  lived. 


330 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


He  went  to  the  house  of  an  old  man  named  Jethro,  and 
helped  him  to  take  care  of  his  sheep.  He  must  often 
have  grieved  when  he  thought  of  the  wicked  deed  that  he  had 
done. 

While  he  was  out  in  the  fields  he  also  often  thought  of 
his  poor  people,  still  toiling  for  Pharaoh.  He  could  not 
be  happy  while  they  worked  so  hard. 

One  day,  as  he  was  with  his  flocks,  he  saw  a  very  strange 
sight.  A  bush  was  burning,  but  it  grew  no  smaller  and  was 
not  destroyed. 

“  I  will  go  closer  and  see  this  strange  thing,”  said  Moses 
to  himself. 

As  he  drew  near,  a  voice  from  the  bush  said,  “  Moses, 
Moses !” 

“  Here  am  I,”  he  answered. 

God  was  speaking,  and  his  voice  continued :  “  Come  no 
nearer.  Put  off  thy  shoes  from  thy  feet,  for  this  is  holy 
ground.  I  am  the  God  of  thy  father,  the  God  of  Abraham, 
the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob.” 

Then  God  told  Moses  how  he  had  seen  the  suffering  of 
the  children  of  Israel.  God  said :  “  I  know  their  sorrows. 
I  am  about  to  help  them,  to  bring  them  away  from  Egypt 
to  the  land  that  I  have  promised  them.” 

God  then  told  Moses  that  he  had  chosen  him  to  go  back 
to  Pharaoh’s  land  to  help  the  people  to  get  away. 

God  said,  “  I  will  be  with  thee.” 

Moses  was  afraid  to  go  back  at  first.  “  They  will  not 
believe  me,”  he  said. 

It  was  going  to  be  a  hard  task. 

But  God  promised  to  give  him  power  and  to  help  him. 
He  said  to  Moses,  “  Certainly  I  will  be  with  thee.” 

And  Moses  chose  the  hard  way.  Always  after  that  his 
work  was  to  be  for  God  and  his  people. 

Devotional  Service: 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 
A  PART  OE  THE  STORY  IN  BIBLE  WORDS 

“  Now  Moses  was  keeping  the  flock  of  Jethro.  .  .and  he 
led  the  flock  to  the  back  of  the  wilderness,  and  came  to  the 
mountain  of  God,  unto  Horeb. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


331 


And  the  angel  of  Jehovah  appeared  unto  him  in  a  flame  of 
fire  out  of  the  midst  of  a  bush ;  and  he  looked,  and,  behold, 
the  bush  burned  with  fire,  and  the  bush  was  not  consumed. 

And  Moses  said,  I  will  turn  aside  now,  and  see  this  great 
sight,  why  the  bush  is  not  burnt. 

And  when  Jehovah  saw  that  he  turned  aside  to  see,  God 
called  unto  him  out  of  the  midst  of  the  bush,  and  said, 
Moses,  Moses.  And  he  said,  Llere  am  I/’ — Exodus  3:1-4. 

PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  teach  us  that  everyone  in  all  the  world 
must  make  choices  of  ways  to  do  things,  choices  between 
right  ways  and  wrong  ways.  Thou  knowest  that  sometimes 
the  right  way  seems  harder  than  the  wrong  way.  Help  us  to 
be  as  brave  as  Moses  was  when  we  make  our  choice.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Copy  this  “  short  story  ”  on  the  blackboard,  letting  the 
children  fill  in  the  blanks : 

The  Hebrews  made  -  in  Egypt. 

The - was  cruel  to  them. 

Sometimes  the  taskmasters  -  them. 

God  chose - to  help  them. 

Make  a  cut-out  poster  representing  Moses  as  a  shepherd. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 


“  HERE  AM  I  ” 

Exodus,  chapter  3;  4:1-19 
Memory  Verse 

“  I  have  chosen  the  way  of  faithfulness.’’ — Psalm  119:30. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

For  forty  years  Moses  tended  the  sheep  of  Jethro  in  the 
wilderness.  This  was  a  period  of  preparation  for  the  great 
work  for  which  he  was  destined ;  it  was  a  time  for  prayer 
and  communion  with  God ;  it  was  a  period  of  introspection. 
Before  this  he  had  had  the  remarkable  training  which  the 
court  life  of  Pharaoh  gave  him,  so  that  he  became  the  well- 
rounded  man  needed  for  the  great  undertaking.  The  wilder¬ 
ness  training  was  to  be  a  schooling  of  forty  years  to  sup¬ 
plement  the  brilliant  advantages  given  in  Egypt. 

A  new  Pharaoh  now  occupied  the  throne  of  Egypt,  and 
the  woes  of  the  Hebrews  were  increased.  There  were  three 
million  of  his  countrymen  in  the  most  humiliating  and  in¬ 
sufferable  bondage.  God  had  been  watching  the  oppression 
of  his  people,  and  now  the  time  had  come  for  their  deliver¬ 
ance,  and  the  man  whom  God  had  chosen  for  their  emanipa- 
tor  was  ready. 

Let  us  take  up  this  history  at  the  incident  of  the  burning 
bush,  thus  making  the  connection  by  lapping  over  a  bit  with 
the  preceding  story.  While  wandering  with  his  sheep  in 
the  wild  pasture  ground,  Moses  saw  a  remarkable  phe¬ 
nomenon  :  a  scrubby  bush  in  the  desert-like  earth  seemed  to 
be  burning.  Moses  watched,  but  it  grew  no  smaller,  neither 
were  its  leaves  consumed.  He  determined  to  investigate. 
When  he  drew  near  a  voice  called  from  the  fire,  “  Moses ! 
Moses !”  Moses  answered,  “  Here  am  I.” 


332 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


333 


It  was  God  speaking  to  him,  and  he  tells  Moses  that  he 
has  watched  with  displeasure  the  suffering  of  his  people, 
that  the  time  for  deliverance  has  come,  and  that  he  has 
chosen  Moses  for  the  deliverer. 

Fully  did  Moses  realize  the  responsibilities  of  this  stu¬ 
pendous  work,  and  he  wavered  before  giving  his  promise 
for  the  undertaking.  Four  times  he  excused  himself.  First, 
he  was  not  worthy  enough ;  he  was  not  a  big  enough  man 
for  the  work.  But  God  promised  to  be  with  him. 

For  his  second  excuse  he  told  God  that  he  should  not 
know  what  to  say  when  the  children  of  Israel  would  ask, 
“  Who  sent  you  ?”  God  made  this  quite  clear  by  saying, 
“  Tell  them  that  ‘  I  Am  ’  sent  you.” 

Next  he  told  God  that  the  children  of  Israel  would  not 
believe  him  nor  listen  to  him.  God  then  gave  him  the  power 
of  performing  three  miracles  to  reinforce  his  statements. 

When  the  third  excuse  was  satisfied  Moses  again  tried 
to  parley  by  saying :  “  O  Lord,  I  am  not  eloquent.  I  have 
always  been  slow  of  speech.  Send  some  one  else.”  And 
God  answered  by  saying,  “  I  will  be  with  thy  mouth  and 
teach  thee  what  to  say.” 

Again  Moses  showed  his  reluctance  by  saying  what 
amounted  to,  “  O  Lord  send  some  one  else.” 

But  in  the  end,  Moses  overcame  the  dread  and  the 
hesitancy,  and  decided  bravely  to  do  the  thing  which  God 
had  chosen  him  to  do.  How  he  fulfilled  that  mission  will 
be  the  burden  of  other  stories  throughout  the  theme: 
“  Learning  to  know  and  to  do  God’s  will.” 

The  knowledge  that  there  must  be  a  real  choice,  the  right, 
or  the  wrong,  comes  very  early  to  every  normal  child.  The 
fact  that  God’s  will,  the  right,  is  often  hard,  comes  as  often 
as  the  choice.  This  story  of  Moses’  hesitation  and  struggle 
gives  a  very  human  touch  to  the  story  of  his  life,  and  wins 
sympathy  at  once. 

It  often  has  been  related  that  the  bravest  soldier  who  con¬ 
templates  the  coming  battle  shrinks  from  the  ordeal,  yet 
when  he  is  in  the  thickest  action  does  not  hesitate  to  give  all 
he  has,  his  life,  while  doing  what  he  knows  is  right. 

In  telling  the  story  review  quickly  the  main  events  of 
Moses’  life  as  already  told,  and  begin  to-day’s  story  with  the 
incident  of  the  burning  bush,  as  suggested. 


334 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Thl  Story 

One  day  Moses  was  out  in  the  pasture  land  with  his  flock 
of  sheep.  It  was  a  wild  and  lonely  place.  Far  away  could 
be  seen  a  lofty  mountain  peak. 

Presently  Moses  saw  a  very  strange  sight.  One  of  the 
bushes  that  grew  in  the  place  seemed  to  be  on  fire. 

Moses  expected  to  see  the  bush  burn  up  and  the  fire 
spread ;  but  this  did  not  happen. 

The  bush  still  remained  green,  and  it  did  not  wither  and 
crumple  and  turn  to  ashes. 

“That  is  very  strange,”  said  Moses  to  himself.  “I  will 
go  closer  and  see  why  the  bush  is  not  burned  up,”  and  he 
did  so. 

When  he  had  come  quite  close  to  the  burning  bush,  a 
voice  spoke  to  him,  saying,  “  Moses,  Moses.” 

It  was  God  speaking,  and  Moses  answered,  “  Here  am  I.” 

God  said  to  Moses :  “  Come  no  closer.  Put  off  thy  shoes 
from  thy  feet,  for  the  place  whereon  thou  standest  is  holy 
ground !” 

Then  God  said :  “  I  am  the  God  of  thy  father,  the  God  of 
Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob.” 

Moses  hid  his  face,  for  he  was  afraid  to  look. 

Then  God  said :  “  I  have  -surely  seen  the  sorrows  of  my 
people  that  are  in  Egypt.  I  have  heard  their  cries,  because 
of  their  taskmasters. 

“  I  know  their  sorrows,  and  I  have  come  to  deliver  them 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  Egyptians.  I  have  come  to  bring 
them  out  of  that  land  to  a  good  land  and  a  large,  a  land 
of  plenty  which  shall  be  their  home. 

“  I  have  chosen  thee  to  be  their  leader.  Come  now,  there¬ 
fore,  and  I  will  send  thee  unto  Pharaoh,  that  thou  mayest 
bring  my  people  out  of  Egypt.” 

It  was  a  great  work,  but  it  was  hard,  very  hard  to  do. 

Moses  loved  God,  and  he  loved  his  people  back  in  the 
land  of  Egypt.  Day  after  day  he  had  thought  of  their  suf¬ 
fering,  and  longed  to  help  them. 

But  Moses  had  lived  in  the  land  of  Egypt.  He  had  lived 
in  the  palace.  He  knew  how  hard  and  cruel  a  king  of  Egypt 
could  be. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


335 


He  remembered  what  a  Pharaoh  could  do  to  anyone  who 
displeased  him. 

How  could  he,  a  runaway  from  Egypt,  a  poor  shepherd, 
do  this  thing? 

So  Moses  began  to  make  excuses  to  God. 

“  Who  am  I,  that  I  shall  go  unto  Pharaoh  ?  I  am  not 
smart  enough  to  do  this  work.  I  could  not  bring  the  chil¬ 
dren  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt.” 

God  answered,  “  Certainly  I  will  be  with  thee.” 

Then  Moses  thought  of  another  excuse  to  get  out  of  the 
work. 

“If  I  should  go  to  the  children  of  Israel  and  say  to  them, 
‘  The  God  of  your  fathers  hath  sent  me  unto  you,’  and  they 
should  say  to  me,  ‘  What  is  his  name  ?’  what  shall  I  say  to 
them  ?”  he  asked  God. 

God  then  told  him  just  what  to  say  to  the  people. 

Still  Moses  went  on  trying  to  find  some  way  of  getting  out 
of  this  hard  piece  of  work. 

“  But  they  will  not  believe  me,  nor  listen  to  my  voice,” 
said  Moses. 

Then  God  said,  “  What  is  that  in  thy  hand  ?” 

Moses  answered,  “  A  rod.” 

And  God  said,  “  Cast  it  on  the  ground.” 

Moses  obeyed,  and  the  rod  became  a  serpent,  squirming 
on  the  ground.  Moses  started  to  run  away. 

Then  God  said  to  Moses,  “  Put  forth  thy  hand,  and  take 
it  by  the  tail.” 

Moses  obeyed,  and  the  serpent  became  a  rod  again. 

God  also  showed  Moses  another  wonderful  miracle  as  a 
sign  to  prove  that  God  had  sent  him.  He  told  him  of  a 
third,  also  that  he  could  do. 

Yet  again  Moses  thought  of  another  excuse. 

“  O  Lord,  I  am  slow  of  speech,  and  slow  of  tongue.  I 
never  could  talk  with  people  very  well,”  he  begged. 

Then  God  answered :  “  Who  hath  made  a  man’s  mouth  ? 
Is  it  not  I,  God  ?  Do  I  not  know  how  thou  canst  talk  ?  Now 
go,  M'oses,  and  I  will  be  with  thy  mouth,  and  teach  thee 
what  thou  shalt  speak.” 

Moses  could  think  of  no  other  excuse,  yet  he  was  not 
readv  to  go. 

“  Oh  Lord,  send  some  one  else,”  he  begged. 


336 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Then  God  was  sorely  displeased  with  Moses. 

God  said Is  there  not  Aaron  thy  brother  ?  I  know  that 
he  can  speak  well.  He  is  coining  to  meet  thee.  He  will 
be  glad  when  he  sees  thee.  Thou  shalt  tell  him  what  to  say. 
He  shall  speak  for  thee.  I  will  be  with  thy  mouth,  and  with 
his  mouth,  and  will  teach  you  what  you  shall  do.  Aaron 
shall  be  to  thee  a  mouth  and  thou  shalt  tell  him  what  to  say. 
Take  in  thy  hand  this  rod  with  which  thou  shalt  do  the 
signs.” 

Moses  did  not  lose  his  chance.  He  decided  just  as  God 
wanted  him  to  decide.  He  made  up  his  mind  to  do  the  hard 
thing  that  God  had  given  to  do,  and  to  do  it  with  all  his 
heart  and  with  all  his  might. 

He  went  back  to  Jethro,  the  owner  of  the  sheep,  and  said, 
“  Let  me  go,  I  pray  thee,  and  return  unto  my  brethren  that 
are  in  Egypt.” 

And  Jethro  said  to  Moses,  “  Go  in  peace.” 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 
“  Praise  ye  Jehovah. 

Praise  ye  Jehovah  from  the  heavens: 

Praise  him  in  the  heights. 

Praise  ye  him,  all  his  angels : 

Praise  ye  him,  all  his  host.  .  .  . 

Kings  of  the  earth  and  all  peoples ; 

Princes  and  all  judges  of  the  earth; 

Both  young  men  and  virgins ; 

Old  men  and  children : 

Let  them  praise  the  name  of  Jehovah; 

For  his  name  alone  is  exalted.” 

— Selected  from  Psalm  148. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  when  we  have  hard  things  to  do,  help 
us  to  put  aside  being  afraid ;  may  we  decide  bravely  as  did 
Moses.  Help  us  to  remember  thy  promise,  “  Certainly  I 
will  be  with  thee.”  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


337 


Copy  the  following  sentences  on  the  blackboard  and  let 
the  children  fill  in  the  blanks. 

God’s  voice  called  Moses  from  a  burning - . 

Moses  answered,  “ - 

God  chose  Moses  to  -  his  people. 

God  promised,  “  Certainly  I  will - 

Moses  obeyed - - - . 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

LEARNING  TO  BE  FAITHFUL 
Exodus  3;  4:1-19  (Review) 

Memory  Verse 

“  I  have  chosen  the  way  of  faithfulness.” — Psalm  119:30. 

The  Teacher^s  Preparation 

Review  the  story  of  Moses’  decision  for  the  right,  stress¬ 
ing  his  full  appreciation  of  the  dangers  which  he  knew  he 
must  encounter  if  he  decided  to  do  God’s  will.  Experience 
soon  teaches  the  little  child  that  right  things  and  good  things 
are  often  hard  to  do. 

A  story  from  child  life  may  be  told  to  try  to  amplify  and 
to  bring  down  to  the  pupils’  point  of  view  the  truth  that  we 
wish  to  show. 


The  Story 

Harry  was  a  boy  who  liked  stories.  His  favorite  stories 
were  about  people  who  were  very  brave  when  they  had  a 
hard  thing  to  do,  people  who  would  go  right  ahead  and  do 
the  hard  thing  even  though  sometimes  they  might  have  to 
suffer  hunger  or  pain  or  even  torture  for  doing  it.  Such 
people  are  called  “  heroes.” 

Harry  liked  his  book  of  hero  stories. 

“The ‘book  calls  these  heroes  ‘faithful,’”  said  Harry  to 
his  father.  “  I  like  that  word  ‘  faithful/  The  book  calls 
the  heroes  ‘  faithful  to  the  end.’  ” 

“  Well,  if  you  like  the  word,  why  not  choose  it  for  your 
motto?”  asked  father.  “  In  olden  times,  when  soldiers  went 


338 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


out  to  battle,  they  often  wrote  some  word  or  words  on  their 
shields.  This  was  called  their  ‘  device.’  The  device  was 
their  guide  word.” 

Harry  liked  the  idea,  and  wrote  the  word  “  faithful  ”  in 
his  pocketbook  and  even  on  slips  of  paper  for  bookmarks  to 
place  in  his  books. 

It  was  easy  enough  to  do  all  this,  but  when  he  tried  to 
choose  a  hard  thing  to  do,  and  then  stick  to  it,  he  found  it 
quite  another  matter. 

“  I  can’t  learn  that  lesson,”  sometimes  he  would  say. 

Then  father  would  remind  him  of  that  motto,  the  device 
that  he  had  chosen  for  himself.  He  would  look  at  the  word 
“  faithful  ”  which  he  had  written  on  his  bookmark.  It 
would  not  be  so  very  long  before  the  troublesome  lesson  was 
conquered. 

One  winter  day  he  went  out  to  the  woods  to  get  some 
spruce  cones  for  his  sister  Mary,  who  was  going  to  make 
some  Christmas  gifts. 

It  had  been  a  very  windy  day,  and  a  great  many  of  the 
pretty  cones  had  fallen  on  the  snow.  Harry  soon  filled  his 
basket,  and  then  started  for  home.  There  was  less  snow  on 
the  road  that  passed  along  near  the  railroad,  so  he  chose  to 
go  that  way. 

Presently  he  saw  something  that  made  him  stop  short.  A 
tree  had  blown  right  across  the  track.  There  was  a  curve 
in  the  road  near  by,  so  that  there  was  danger  that  the  engi¬ 
neer  would  not  see  the  tree  in  time. 

Harry  put  down  his  basket  of  cones,  and  tugged  at  the 
tree  with  all  his  strength.  It  was  too  heavy  for  a  boy  of  his 
size ;  he  could  not  move  it  an  inch. 

He  sat  down  on  a  bank  to  take  breath  and  think  what  he 
would  better  do. 

“  The  express  train  comes  through  every  evening  with¬ 
out  stopping,”  he  said  to  himself.  “  It  may  he  nearly  due 
now.  What  an  awful  accident  may  happen!” 

Harry  shuddered  at  the  thought ;  it  made  him  turn  sick 
for  a  minute. 

“  What  can  I  do  ?  What  can  I  do  ?  ”  he  whispered  to  him¬ 
self. 

Then  a  plan  came  to  him. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


339 


Hastily  he  broke  off  a  long  pine  branch.  He  tied  his 
white  handkerchief  to  it. 

Then  he  ran  as  far  as  the  curve,  where  he  could  see  a 
long  way  up  the  road,  and  stood  there  watching,  ready  to 
make  a  signal  for  the  engineer  to  stop  the  train. 

It  seemed  so  lonely  and  still.  Harry  began  to  wish  that 
the  train  would  come.  He  began  to  feel  hungry. 

The  wind  began  to  rise  again.  It  blew  the  snow  against 
him.  Harry  began  to  wish  he  wasn’t  there. 

“  I  wish  I  could  go  home,”  he  said  to  himself. 

Then  the  motto,  his  motto,  flashed  through  his  mind. 

“  Faithful !”  It  semed  as  if  he  could  see  the  word  written 
in  big  letters  in  the  snow. 

It  grew  colder.  Harry  ran  up  and  down  to  keep  warm. 
But  in  spite  of  all  he  could  do  he  grew  very  cold,  and  his 
feet  ached  badly. 

“Oh,  why  don’t  I  leave  and  go  home?”  he  cried.  “It 
must  be  dinner  time.”  He  ran  up  and  down  again,  and  blew 
his  cold  hands. 

“We  were  going  to  have  such  a  good  dinner,  to-day.  I 
heard  mother  planning  it.  How  dreadfully  hungry  I  am. 

I  cannot  stay  here!  I  am  so  cold,  I  shall  freeze!” 

Then  he  thought  of  his  motto,  and  of  the  brave  men  in 
the  storybook  who  chose  to  do  right  and  to  serve  God  at 
any  cost  to  themselves,  the  men  who  were  faithful. 

“  No,  I  won’t  go  away,”  said  Llarry  out  loud.  “  I  have 
decided.  I  will  be  faithful.” 

All  the  long  afternoon  poor  Harry  stayed  by  the  railroad 
track.  His  hands  and  feet  were  aching.  He  was  so  hungry  . 
that  he  felt  almost  as  if  he  should  faint. 

He  could  not  help  crying  sometimes,  but  he  never  thought 
again  of  leaving  his  post. 

Over  and  over  he  prayed,  “  O  God,  help  me  to  be  faith¬ 
ful.” 

At  last  came  the  distant  rush  of  the  evening  train.  There 
was  the  red  light  of  the  lantern  on  the  locomotive. 

Harry’s  cold  form  became  alert.  Now  was  his  time  to  act ! 

“  Stop  !  Stop !”  shouted  Harry,  springing  up  and  down. 

“  Stop !  Stop !”  and  he  waved  his  signal  wildly. 

The  engineer  saw  him,  the  train  slackened  its  speed,  and 
before  it  reached  the  curve  it  had  nearly  stopped. 


340 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Harry  told  his  story ;  he  pointed  to  the  fallen  tree.  Then 
he  sank  down  almost  insensible  on  the  snow. 

Grateful  arms  tenderly  carried  him  into  the  nearest  car. 
They  rubbed  his  half-frozen  limbs.  They  warmed  him  and 
soothed  him  and  praised  him  and  thanked  him.  Then  they 
took  him  home. 

His  mother  cried  when  she  saw  him,  but  his  father  said, 
“You  have  saved  many  lives  to-day,  my  brave,  faithful 
boy.” 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 
A  VERSE  WHICH  TELLS  GOD’S  WILL  TO  HIS  PEOPLE 

“  Thou  shalt  therefore  obey  the  voice  of  Jehovah  thy 
God,  and  do  his  commandments  and  his  statutes.” — Deu¬ 
teronomy  27 :10. 

A  promise  that  god  wishes  erom  his  people 

“  All  that  Jehovah  hath  spoken  will  we  do,  and  be 
obedient.” — Exodus  24:7. 

WHAT  JESUS  SAID  ABOUT  DOING  GOD’S  WILL 

“  I  have  kept  my  Father’s  commandments,  and  abide  in 
his  love.” — John  15:10b. 


Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  may  we  be  quick  to  see  the  things  that 
thou  wouldest  have  us  do  for  thee.  Help  us  to  do  thy  will 
at  all  times,  even  though  sometimes  it  may  seem  hard. 
Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  bookmark  and  write  upon  it  the  word  which  Harry 
thought  about  while  he  did  the  hard  thing  which  was  right 
and  which  it  was  God’s  will  for  him  to  do. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

MOSES  BEFORE  TPIE  KING 
Exodus  4:27  to  12:51 
Memory  Verse 

“  And  Moses  and  Aaron  did  so,  as  Jehovah  commanded; ” 
— Exodus  7 :20a. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

This  lesson  portrays  the  conflict  between  Jehovah,  the 
one  true  God,  and  Pharaoh,  the  head  of  a  civilization 
steeped  in  idolatry  and  arrogance. 

God’s  first  requirement  of  his  people  is  obedience  to  his 
will.  Moses  had  proved  himself  capable  of  giving  this  loyal 
obedience,  born  of  love  for  God,  and  thus,  as  a  leader,  he 
would  be  able  to  get  this  requisite  from  the  people  he  was 
to  emancipate.  Prompt  obedience  was  to  be  an  extreme 
necessity  during  the  supreme  crisis  which  was  so  soon  to 
come  to  the  Hebrew  nation. 

Moses  left  Jethro  and  his  flocks  in  the  land  of  Midian,  and 
took  up  his  journey  toward  Egypt.  On  the  way  he  met 
Aaron  as  God  had  told  him  he  would  do.  The  brothers 
exchanged  affectionate  greetings.  Then  Moses  told  of  his 
mission,  and  of  Aaron’s  connection  with  it. 

Together  they  proceeded  to  Goshen  and  held  a  meeting 
with  the  Hebrew  elders  and  chief  men.  Moses  showed  the 
signs  from  God,  and  they  believed. 

Then  the  brothers  went  to  the  splendid  palace  of  the 
Egyptian  king.  God  had  prepared  Moses  for  the  difficulties 
which  he  was  to  encounter,  and  for  Pharaoh’s  refusal  and 
his  hardness  of  heart.  Pharaoh  was  not  at  all  inclined  to 
give  up  the  slaves  who  brought  lazy  luxury  to  the  nobles  of 
Egypt,  and  whose  life  strength  poured  out  in  such  lavishness 


341 


342 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


was  the  means  of  the  erection  of  the  magnificent  structures 
which  would  cause  his  name  to  be  handed  down  to  history. 

He  gave  an  absolute  and  defiant  refusal  even  to  the  re¬ 
quest  that  the  people  be  permitted  to  go  into  the  wilderness 
to  worship  their  God.  He  then  increased  the  burdens  put 
upon  the  slaves  by  withholding  the  straw  which  was  neces¬ 
sary  in  the  making  of  the  bricks.  They  must  hereafter  find 
their  own  straw,  going  out  into  the  fields  to  gather  it.  Yet 
the  number  of  bricks  was  not  diminished. 

This  discouraged  the  people  in  the  enterprise  which  had 
given  hope,  and  they  complained  to  Moses  and  Aaron. 

Moses  went  to  God,  and  God  renewed  the  promise  of 
help  which  he  had  given  at  the  outset.  Jehovah’s  purpose 
was  not  to  be  thwarted  by  a  Pharaoh ! 

Then  followed  the  ten  plagues,  giving  Pharaoh  full  warn¬ 
ing  and  abundant  opportunity  of  understanding  that  the  re¬ 
quest  had  come  from  God. 

Review  the  story  of  Moses  up  to  this  point,  so  that  the 
pupils  may  be  able  to  take  up  the  new  chapter  intelligently. 

Thl  Story 

Moses  left  his  flocks  and  started  on  his  journey  toward 
Egypt. 

Now  God  had  told  Aaron  to  go  into  the  wilderness  and 
meet  Moses ;  and  so,  while  Moses  was  traveling  along,  think¬ 
ing  of  all  the  wonderful  things  that  had  happened,  he  looked 
up  and  saw  his  brother. 

It  had  been  a  long,  long  time  since  they  had  been  together. 
They  kissed  each  other,  and  asked  many  loving  questions. 

Then  Moses  told  Aaron  about  the  voice  in  the  burning 
bush,  and  all  the  things  that  God  had  told  him  to  do. 

“  You  are  to  speak  for  me,  my  brother.  You  are  ready 
with  speech,”  said  Moses. 

The  two  brothers  traveled  along  until  they  came  to  that 
part  of  Egypt  where  the  children  of  Israel  lived.  Moses  saw 
how  they  still  suffered,  and  how  cruelly  Pharaoh  treated 
them. 

He  told  them  how  God  had  seen  the  king’s  cruelty ;  how 
he  was  about  to  help  them  to  get  away ;  how  he  was  going  to 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


343 


give  them  a  beautiful  new  home.  He  showed  them  the 
signs  that  God  had  given  him. 

The  poor  people  believed ;  they  bowed  their  heads  and 
worshiped  God  in  thankfulness. 

Then  Moses  and  Aaron  went  to  the  palace  where  dwelt 
Pharaoh,  the  king. 

It  was  a  wonderful  place,  with  walls  and  floors  of  pre¬ 
cious  stone,  furniture  of  gold,  and  tall  statues  of  the  false 
gods  that  the  king  and  his  people  worshiped. 

But  the  two  brothers  were  not  frightened  by  the  riches  of 
the  king.  They  walked  past  the  statues  and  the  beautiful 
golden  furniture,  into  the  presence  of  Pharaoh. 

Then  Moses  and  Aaron  told  Pharaoh  what  God  had  com¬ 
manded  them  to  tell  him:  “  Thus  saith  Jehovah,  the  God  of 
Israel,”  they  said  to  the  king.  “  ‘  Let  my  people  go,  that  they 
may  hold  a  feast  unto  me  in  the  wilderness.’  ” 

But  the  proud  king  answered :  “  Who  is  Jehovah,  that  I 
should  listen  to  his  voice?  I  know  not  Jehovah.  I  will  not 
let  the  people  go  !” 

Moses  and  Aaron  tried  to  persuade  the  king,  but  he  grew 
harder  of  heart  than  ever. 

“  Why  do  you  want  to  take  the  people  from  their  work, 
Moses  and  Aaron  ?”  he  asked,  and  he  sent  them  away. 

That  same  day  he  said  to  the  taskmasters :  “  Do  not  give 
the  slaves  any  more  straw  to  make  the  bricks.  They  shall 
gather  the  straw  for  themselves.  But  the  number  of  bricks 
shall  be  the  same  as  before.  They  are  too  idle,  and  so  they 
have  time  to  say,  ‘  Let  us  go  and  sacrifice  to  our  God/  Give 
them  more  work  to  do.” 

So  the  taskmasters  said  to  the  people :  “  Thus  saith 
Pharaoh,  ‘  I  will  no  more  give  you  straw/  Go,  then,  and 
gather  it  where  you  can  find  it.  But  the  number  of  bricks 
must  not  be  less.” 

Then  the  people  had  to  work  harder  than  ever,  and  when 
thev  could  not  finish  their  work,  the  taskmasters  beat  them. 

Pharaoh  would  not  even  believe  when  he  saw  the  signs 
that  God  had  given  Moses  and  Aaron  power  to  show. 

God  then  said  to  Moses :  “  Go  to  Pharaoh  and  say  to  him, 
‘  Thus  saith  Jehovah,  Let  my  people  go,  that  they  may  serve 
me.  And  if  thou  refusest  to  let  them  go,  behold,  I  will 
smite  all  thy  borders  with  frogs/  ” 


344 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Moses  did  as  God  commanded,  and  gave  this  message. 
When  Pharaoh  refused,  God  said  to  Moses,  “  Tell  Aaron  to 
stretch  forth  his  rod  over  the  waters.” 

Aaron  obeyed. 

Frogs  swarmed  the  rivers.  They  came  out  of  the  waters, 
and  into  the  houses,  into  the  bedrooms.  They  even  came  into 
the  king’s  bed. 

They  got  into  the  ovens  and  into  the  kneading  troughs 
when  the  cooks  were  mixing  the  bread. 

Pharaoh  called  for  Moses  and  Aaron. 

“  Beg  your  God  to  take  away  the  frogs  from  me  and  from 
my  people.  I  will  let  the  people  go,”  he  cried. 

“  When  do  you  wish  them  away  ?”  asked  Moses. 

“  To-morrow,”  answered  the  king. 

“  Be  it  according  to  your  wish,  that  you  may  know  that 
there  is  none  like  Jehovah,  our  God.  The  frogs  shall  de¬ 
part  to-morrow ;  they  shall  remain  in  the  river  only.” 

Moses  cried  to  God,  and  he  answered.  The  frogs  died  in 
the  houses  and  in  the  fields ;  and  the  people  gathered  them 
up  in  heaps. 

But  when  Pharaoh  saw  that  the  land  was  rid  of  the  frogs, 
he  hardened  his  heart  again.  He  would  not  let  the  people 

g°- 

God  said  to  Moses :  “  Rise  up  early  in  the  morning,  and 
meet  Pharaoh  as  he  goes  down  to  the  river.  Say  to  him : 
‘  Thus  saith  Jehovah,  Let  my  people  go,  that  they  may  serve 
me.  If  thou  wilt  not  let  my  people  go,  behold,  I  will  send 
swarms  of  flies  upon  you,  and  upon  your  servants  and  upon 
your  people.  The  houses  of  the  Egyptians  shall  be  full 
of  swarms  of  flies ;  but  my  people  shall  be  spared.  There 
shall  be  no  flies  in  the  houses  of  the  children  of  Israel  ’.” 

Pharaoh  refused,  and  the  plague  of  flies  came.  There 
were  swarms  in  all  the  houses  of  the  Egyptians.  The  food 
was  spoiled  by  them. 

Pharaoh  sent  for  Moses  and  Aaron. 

“  Go  sacrifice  to  your  God,  but  do  not  leave  the  land  of 
Egypt.  Do  not  go  very  far  away,”  he  said. 

But  when  the  flies  were  gone,  Pharaoh  again  refused  to 
let  the  people  go. 

God  sent  other  plagues  to  Pharaoh’s  land.  A  disease  came 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


345 


to  the  cattle,  the  horses,  the  camels  and  the  flocks.  Still 
Pharaoh  refused. 

Then  the  king  and  his  people  were  afflicted  with  very 
painful  boils. 

Then  a  great  hail  came.  There  was  terrible  thunder  and 
lightning,  a  storm  such  as  never  before  had  been  seen  in 
Egypt.  Trees  fell;  fields  were  ruined;  men  and  beasts  were 
killed. 

Pharaoh  was  terrified.  “  Send  for  Moses  and  Aaron,”  he 
cried.  “  I  have  sinned.  God  is  righteous.  I  and  my  peo¬ 
ple  are  wicked.  Beg  God  to  take  away  the  thunderings  and 
lightnings.  I  will  let  the  people  go.” 

Moses  prayed  God  to  stop  the  storm,  and  he  did.  But 
again  Pharaoh  dared  God,  and  refused  to  let  the  people  go. 

Then  God  sent  a  plague  of  locusts.  Every  green  thing 
was  eaten  up.  There  was  not  a  leaf  left.  Still  Pharaoh 
would  not  let  the  people  go. 

God  sent  a  plague  of  darkness  all  over  the  land  for  three 
days. 

Pharaoh  sent  for  Moses  and  Aaron.  “  Go !  Serve 
Jehovah!  But  leave  your  flocks  and  your  herds.  Take 
your  children  along  with  you !” 

But  Moses  said :  “  Our  cattle  and  our  herds  go  with  us. 
Not  a  hoof  shall  be  left  behind !” 

Then  Pharaoh  exclaimed  angrily:  “Get  you  from  me! 
But  beware!  See  my  face  no  more!  The  day  you  see  my 
face  again,  you  shall  die !” 

Moses  answered:  “  You  have  spoken  the  truth.  I  will  see 
your  face  a^ain  no  more !” 

And  so  Moses,  the  servant  of  God,  left  the  disobedient 
king. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBEE  READING  LESSON 

“With  my  whole  heart  I  have  sought  thee: 

Oh  let  me  not  wander  from  thy  commandments. 

Thy  word  have  I  laid  up  in  my  heart, 

That  I  might  not  sin  against  thee. 

Blessed  art  thou,  O  Jehovah: 

Teach  me  thy  statutes.... 

I  will  delight  myself  in  thy  statutes : 

I  will  not  forget  thy  word.” 


Selected  from  Psalm  119. 


346 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


(Explain  the  words  that  are  new  to  the  children’s  vo¬ 
cabulary.) 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  may  we  be  brave  as  was  Moses  in  doing 
what  thou  hast  for  us  to  do.  Help  us  to  be  obedient.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Write  the  names  of  the  two  brothers  who  tried  to  learn 
what  God  wanted  them  to  do,  and  did  the  work  obediently. 
Write  the  name  of  the  disobedient  king. 

Try  to  do  one  especially  hard,  obedient  thing  this  week. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

MOSES  LEADING  THE  ISRAELITES  OUT  OF 

EGYPT 

Exodus,  chapters  12,  14 
Memory  Verse 

“Certainly  I  will  be  with  thee.” — Exodus  3:12. 

Tiie  Teacher’s  Preparation 

The  end  of  Pharaoh’s  conflict  with  God  was  at  hand. 
Final  instructions  for  the  great  Exodus  were  given.  On  the 
tenth  day  of  the  month  a  lamb  without  defect  or  disease  of 
any  kind  was  to  be  chosen  and  kept  until  the  fourteenth  of 
the  month.  This  was  to  be  killed,  roasted  entire,  and  was 
to  be  eaten  with  bitter  herbs  and  unleavened  bread. 

The  blood  was  to  be  sprinkled  with  a  branch  of  hyssop 
on  the  two  side  posts  and  upper  doorpost.  This  was  to  mark 
the  dwelling  places  of  the  Israelites  from  those  of  the  Egyp¬ 
tians. 

The  feast  was  to  be  eaten  in  haste,  and  all  were  to  be 
dressed  ready  for  a  journey. 

The  most  faithful  attention  and  obedience  were  renuiWd. 
But  the  people  were  learning  obedience  to  God’s  will,  and 
they  listened,  ready  to  comply  implicitly. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


347 


Review  the  story  up  to  this  point  sufficiently  to  help  the 
children  to  take  up  the  new  chapter  with  a  clear  understand¬ 
ing. 


The:  Story' 

The  king  who  had  disobeyed  God  went  back  to  his  own 
way  again ;  but  he  could  not  have  been  happy.  He  must 
have  been  troubled. 

At  last  God  said  to  Moses :  “  One  more  punishment  will 
I  send  to  Pharaoh  and  his  land.  He  must  stop  troubling 
my  people.  He  surely  must  let  them  go.” 

Then  Moses  told  the  children  of  Israel  that  a  great  sor¬ 
row  would  come  to  every  house  in  which  dwelt  an  Egyptian, 
for  death  would  come  and  take  away  the  oldest  born  of 
every  family,  of  the  rich  and  of  the  poor,  even  the  oldest 
child  of  the  king. 

But  this  was  to  be  a  strange  and  wonderful  night  for  the 
children  of  Israel,  God’s  people.  None  should  die  in  their 
homes,  and  it  was  to  be  the  night  when  they  were  to  start 
for  the  new  land  that  God  had  promised  them.  Pharaoh 
would  surely  let  them  go. 

God  told  Moses  how  he  wanted  them  to  get  ready  for 
the  journey,  and  Moses  told  the  people. 

“  Choose  a  lamb  without  disease  of  any  kind,”  he  said  to 
the  fathers.  “  If  a  lamb  is  too  large  for  your  family,  your 
neighbor  may  join  with  you. 

“  On  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  month,  kill  it  and  prepare 
a  feast.  The  lamb  shall  be  roasted  whole,  but  not  boiled. 
You  are  to  eat  bitter  herbs  and  unleavened  bread  with  it. 

“  Before  you  eat,  dress  for  a  journey.  Be  ready  to  go  at 
a  moment’s  notice.  Have  your  sandals  tied,  your  traveling 
coats  belted,  and  your  staffs  in  your  hands. 

“  Listen  for  the  signal !  Be  ready  to  start !” 

But  one  of  the  most  important  things  that  they  must  do 
was  to  sprinkle  some  of  the  blood  of  the  lamb  on  the  door¬ 
posts  with  a  bunch  of  hyssop. 

This  was  to  mark  the  houses  of  the  children  of  Israel 
from  the  houses  of  the  Egyptians. 

The  night  of  the  feast  came.  It  was  a  beautiful,  moon¬ 
light  night.  All  were  ready  for  the  journey.  Here,  there, 


348 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


and  all  about  the  houses  were  bundles,  packed:  clothing, 
tents,  kneading  troughs,  dishes,  jewelry,  all  that  could  be 
carried. 

They  ate  the  feast  hurriedly,  waiting  for  the  signal. 

At  midnight  a  great  cry  of  grief  went  up  from  every  house 
where  lived  an  Egyptian. 

Pharaoh  exclaimed  to  Moses:  “Go!  Go  from  my  land, 
you  and  all  your  people  !  Take  away  your  flocks  and  herds ! 
Begone !” 

And  so  the  Israelites,  with  strange  bundles  and  many 
flocks,  the  fathers  and  mothers  and  children,  hurried  away 
in  the  night. 

God  led  them  by  a  bright  cloud  at  night,  and  a  pillar  of 
cloud  by  day.  By  and  by  they  came  to  the  great  sea,  and 
God  told  Moses  and  his  people  to  set  up  their  tents  and  rest, 
and  they  did. 

Now,  after  the  people  had  gone,  Pharaoh  began  to  miss 
them  right  away.  The  brickyards  were  still ;  the  buildings 
grew  no  higher ;  this  thing  and  that  thing  which  had  been 
the  work  of  the  poor  slaves  was  not  done. 

“  I  am  sorry  that  I  let  them  go,”  thought  Pharaoh.  “  I 
will  go  after  them,  and  bring  them  back.  They  cannot  get 
far ;  they  probably  now  are  lost  in  the  wilderness.” 

So  he  called  for  his  chariots ;  he  gathered  together  his 
soldiers.  Soon  six  hundred  chariots  were  ready  for  the 
chase. 

Presently  the  fastest  horses  in  all  Egypt  were  running 
their  best. 

While  the  Israelites  were  resting  by  the  sea,  some  of  them 
heard  the  noise  of  the  coming  army.  They  listened.  They 
gave  the  alarm. 

“  Pharaoh  is  after  us !  The  Egyptians  are  almost  upon 
us !”  The  news  spread  from  tent  to  tent,  and  everyone  was 
sorely  afraid. 

They  cried  to  God.  They  complained  to  Moses.  They 
said  that  they  wished  they  were  back  in  Egypt.  There  was 
great  confusion  and  panic  in  all  the  camp.  No  one  knew 
what  to  do. 

Then  brave  Moses  said :  “  Fear  not ;  stand  still  and  see 
what  God  will  do  for  you.  Hold  your  peace.  God  will 
take  care  of  you.” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


349 


God  then  said  to  Moses :  “  Tell  the  children  of  Israel  to 
go  forward.  Lift  up  thy  rod  over  the  sea,  and  divide  it. 
The  children  of  Israel  shall  walk  through  the  midst  of  the 
water  on  dry  ground.  I  am  Jehovah.” 

Moses  obeyed  God’s  will ;  he  stretched  out  his  hand  over 
the  sea.  A  strong  east  wind  drove  the  waters  back,  and  a 
path  appeared  right  through  the  sea. 

The  Israelites  hurried  over  it ;  they  traveled  between  the 
waters. 

The  Egyptians  reached  the  sea,  and  saw  the  path.  They 
sent  their  chariots  forward.  But  the  heavy  wheels  began  to 
gather  mud ;  they  became  heavier,  and  moved  slowly. 

Moses  and  the  people  reached  the  other  side  in  safety, 
and  at  God’s  command,  Moses  stretched  out  his  arm. 

Back  rolled  the  waters.  Pharaoh’s  soldiers  and  horsemen 
were  drowned.  They  never  would  trouble  God’s  people 
again. 

God’s  people  were  glad  that  they  had  obeyed  his  will. 


Deaotionai,  Service 
a  bibee  reading  lesson 

“Marvellous  things  did  he  in  the  sight  of  their  fathers, 

In  the  land  of  Egypt,... 

He  clave  the  sea,  and  caused  them  to  pass  through; 

And  he  made  the  waters  to  stand  as  a  heap. 

In  the  day-time  also  he  led  them  with  a  cloud, 

And  all  the  night  with  a  light  of  fire.” 

— Psalm  78:12-14. 

“Oh  come,  let  us  sing  unto  Jehovah;... 

Oh  come,  let  us  worship  and  bow  down; 

Let  us  kneel  before  Jehovah  our  Maker: 

For  he  is  our  God.” 

— Psalm  95:1,  6,  7. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  the  wonderful  things 
that  thou  hast  power  to  do  for  thy  people.  Help  us  to  re¬ 
member  that  thou  knowest  best  what  we  should  do,  and  give 
us  courage  to  obey  thee.  Amen. 


350 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Suggested  Activities 

Write  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  poster  picture  of  the  sea,  and  write  beneath  the 
verse : 

“  The  winds  and  the  sea  obey  him/’ 

Write  three  sentences  about  this  story  at  home,  and  bring 
them  with  you  next  time  you  come.  (The  teacher  should 
insist  upon  good  form  and  writing.) 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 
THIRSTY  TRAVELERS 
Exodus  15:1,  22-27;  Psalm  136:1,  10-16;  78:15-20 

Memory  Verse 

“  Teach  me  to  do  thy  will ; 

For  thou  art  my  God.” — Psalm  143:10a. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Try  to  give  the  pupils  some  conception  of  the  wonderful 
relief  felt  by  the  Israelites  when  they  found  themselves  quite 
safe  on  the  other  side  of  the  Red  Sea,  the  journey  toward 
their  “  Promised  Land  ”  fairly  begun.  Bring  out  the  fact 
that  the  proper  reaction  was  gratitude  toward  their  God  who 
had  so  miraculously  preserved  them  from  the  danger  which 
was  so  imminent. 

Picture  the  scene  by  the  sea  when  all  united  in  one  of  the 
greatest  songs  of  thanksgiving  that  ever  was  sung. 

Tell  of  the  taking  up  of  the  journey  into  the  wilderness 
through  the  waste.  Describe  the  need  of  water,  and  the  in¬ 
evitable  thirst ;  the  coming  to  Marah,  and  the  disappointment 
at  finding  the  water  bitter  and  impossible  to  drink ;  the  mur¬ 
muring  of  the  people ;  the  appeal  of  Moses  to  God,  and  his 
help  given  according  to  his  promise,  “  Certainly  I  will  be 
with  thee.” 

Describe  the  visit  to  the  beautiful  oasis  of  Elim,  where 
there  was  water  in  plenty  for  all. 

Bring  out  the  fact  that  the  people  were  beginning  to  learn 
lessons  that  God’s  will  was  best  for  them ;  also  that  Moses 
was  growing  stronger  in  his  power  to  follow  God’s  will,  as 
the  days  passed  by  and  he  continued  to  obey. 

The  Story 

The  waves  of  the  Red  Sea  lapped  up  over  the  shore.  The 
path  was  gone. 


351 


352 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Thousands  and  thousands  of  the  Israelites  rested  in  the 
sand.  They  were  tired,  but  very  happy,  and  very  thankful. 

God  had  helped  them  to  get  away  from  the  land  of  Egypt. 
He  had  saved  them  from  Pharaoh  when  he  had  tried  to  fol¬ 
low  after  them. 

Happy  people  sing,  and  presently  these  people  began  to 
sing  such  a  wonderful  thanksgiving  song  that  the  waves 
could  not  be  heard. 

Moses  and  Aaron  led  the  song,  and  the  others  joined. 

Miriam,  their  sister,  took  a  timbrel  in  her  hand  and  also 
began  to  sing.  The  other  women  followed  her  example. 

Then,  when  all  were  rested  and  had  eaten  a  lunch,  they 
started  on  their  way  again,  a  very  happy  procession  of 
fathers,  mothers,  and  little  children. 

At  first  it  seemed  very  easy  to  travel,  even  though  the  way 
was  not  over  a  well-made  road,  but  through  a  great  stretch 
of  wild,  wilderness  country.  Moses  knew  about  living  in  the 
wilderness,  for  he  had  been  a  shepherd  in  such  a  land  for 
many  years. 

The  children  must  have  been  very  glad  to  go  along  with 
their  fathers  who  had  had  to  spend  their  lives  in  the  king’s 
brickyards.  The  little  girls  must  have  enjoyed  going  with 
their  mothers  who,  before  this,  were  too  busy  and  too  sad  to 
go  on  long  excursions. 

But  when  children  and  even  fathers  and  mothers  travel 
far  in  a  hot  and  dusty  country,  they  soon  grow  thirsty.  That 
is  what  happened  to  Joseph  and  Korah  and  Rachel  and 
Sarah  and  Judah  and  all  the  other  children. 

Over  and  over  again  they  would  run  to  their  mothers  and 
ask  for  a  drink  of  water.  Such  queer-looking  things  the 
water  bottles  were !  They  were  made  from  the  skins  of 
sheep. 

Mother  would  give  Joseph  a  drink;  then  she  would  say, 
“  That  is  enough,  son ;  save  some  for  another  time.” 

And  Judah’s  mother  would  say,  “That  is  all,  son;  save 
some  for  your  sister  Sarah.” 

By  and  by  the  faces  of  the  mothers  grew  very  anxious. 

“  We  have  only  a  little  water  left,”  they  said  to  one 
another. 

Still  the  long,  hot  miles  of  sand  stretched  on.  There  were 
no  wells,  no  streams,  no  springs  anywhere  in  sight. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS  353 

At  last  the  word  spread  from  family  to  family,  “We  have 
no  water  left !  ” 

When  the  children  begged  for  a  drink,  the  mothers  had  to 
say,  “  There  is  no  more.”  There  was  none  even  for  the 
smallest  baby.  The  sheep  and  the  cattle  were  so  thirsty  that 
their  tongues  hung  from  their  mouths. 

They  now  had  been  traveling  three  days  out  into  the  wil¬ 
derness.  What  a  tired,  thirsty  crowd  of  people  they  were ! 

Moses  cheered  them  on. 

At  length  they  came  to  a  place  called  Marah.  There  was 
water!  The  sound  of  the  trickling  stream  was  like  the 
sweetest  music  to  their  ears. 

All  hurried  to  get  a  drink,  but  quickly  they  put  down  their 
cups.  The  water  was  bitter !  It  was  so  bitter  that  even 
though  they  were  afraid  they  would  die  of  thirst,  they  could 
not  drink  it. 

They  turned  angrily  toward  Moses.  “  What  shall  we 
drink?  ”  they  cried.  “  Our  children  are  crying  for  water.” 

“  Our  flocks  will  die !  ” 

“Water!  Water!” 

There  were  angry  groans  and  complaints  all  through  the 
long  procession. 

Moses  prayed  to  God. 

God  answered ;  he  showed  him  a  certain  tree,  and  bade 
him  put  its  branches  in  the  water. 

Moses  obeyed,  and  the  bitter  waters  were  made  sweet. 
Everyone  had  a  good  drink  of  water — all  the  children,  all 
the  grown  people,  and  even  the  smallest  lamb. 

Again  God  had  kept  his  promise,  “  Certainly  I  will  be 
with  thee.” 

After  they  had  rested,  and  had  had  all  the  water  they 
wanted,  they  went  on  with  their  journey,  because  the  cloud 
that  was  leading  them  began  to  move. 

When  they  were  thirsty  again,  the  cloud  led  them  to  a 
place  called  Elim.  There  were  seventy  palm  trees  there,  and 
twelve  springs  of  water. 

It  was  a  beautiful  place  to  rest.  The  fathers  set  up  the 
tents.  The  mothers  spread  the  rugs. 

All  the  boys  and  girls,  all  the  fathers  and  mothers,  all  the 
flocks  had  as  much  sweet,  cool,  clear  water  as  they  could 

drink. 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“I  am  Jehovah  thy  God, 

Who  brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt : 

Open  thy  mouth  wide,  and  I  will  fill  it. 

Oh  that  my  people  would  hearken  unto  me, 

That  Israel  would  walk  in  my  ways  !  ” 

— Psalm  81  :10,  13. 

“How  oft  did  they  rebel  against  him  in  the  wilderness, 

And  grieve  him  in  the  desert !  ” 

— Psalm  78  :40. 

“But  he,  being  merciful,  forgave  them  their  iniquity, 
and  destroyed  them  not.” 

• — Psalm  78  :38. 

Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  may  we  never  forget  that  when  we  are 
doing  thy  will,  thou  art  with  us.  May  we  remember  that 
thou  wilt  always  keep  the  promise  that  thou  hast  made : 
“  Certainly  I  will  be  with  thee.”  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Provide  the  children  with  pictures  showing  brooks,  wells, 
animals  drinking — pictures  about  water.  Have  these  pic¬ 
tures  cut  out  and  mounted  in  the  form  of  a  class  booklet. 
Insert  in  the  booklet  the  following  verses  written  by  the 
children. 

“  The  sea  is  his,  and  he  made  it.” 

— Psalm  95:5. 

“  He  leadeth  me  beside  still  waters,” 

— Psalm  23  :2b. 

“  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks, 

So  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O  God.” 

— Psalm  42  :1. 

“  He  sendeth  forth  springs  into  the  valleys ; 

They  run  among  the  mountains ; 

They  give  drink  to  every  beast  of  the  field.” 

—Psalm  104:10,  11. 

“  IIo,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters.” 

— Isaiah  55  :1. 


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SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  STORY  OF  THE  MANNA 
Exodus  16:14-31;  Psalm  78:23-25 

Memory  Verse 

“  Teach  me  to  do  thy  will ; 

For  thou  art  my  God.” — Psalm  143:10a. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Food,  also,  became  an  imperative  necessity  to  the  wilder¬ 
ness  travelers.  It  was  a  stupendous  undertaking  that  Moses 
had  to  face,  the  feeding  of  such  an  army  in  a  barren  land. 
But  Moses  now  knew  that  if  it  were  God’s  will  for  these 
people  to  pass  through  the  place,  the  means  would  be  pro¬ 
vided  by  the  God  who  had  promised,  “  Certainly  I  will  be 
with  thee.” 

The  food  which  they  had  been  able  to  bring  with  them 
was  soon  exhausted,  and  the  fear  of  hunger  and  starvation 
seized  them.  They  had  not  yet  learned  the  trust  that  their 
leader  felt.  A  very  humanly  childish  company  of  people  be¬ 
gan  to  complain  bitterly  of  their  conditions,  fretting  even  to 
be  back  in  Egypt,  the  old  land  of  their  bondage,  back  among 
the  fleshpots,  l3ack  in  the  place  where  there  were  onions  and 
leeks  and  melons  in  plenty. 

They  were  forgetful  already  of  the  marvel  of  the  path 
through  the  sea,  of  the  miracle  of  the  sweetened  waters ! 
They  grumbled  and  doubted  and  considered  retreat. 

“  Ready  to  pardon,  gracious  and  merciful,  slow  to  anger, 
and  abundant  in  lovingkindness  ” — all  these  attributes  be¬ 
longed  to  the  God  who  was  schooling  them  in  the  doing  of 
his  will.  But  they  did  not  always  remember  these  attributes 
yet. 

However,  as  Henry  Ward  Beecher  has  said,  “  God  par¬ 
dons  like  a  mother  who  kisses  away  the  repentant  tears  of 
her  child.”  Food  was  given  the  untrusting  people  in  the 
wonderful  way  about  which  we  are  to  tell  the  pupils  in  the 
story  selected  for  our  lesson  to-day. 


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The:  Story 

There  were  no  stores,  no  houses,  not  a  place  where  the 
Israelites  could  get  anything  to  eat  during  that  strange  desert 
journey. 

It  was  just  as  hard  to  get  food  as  it  was  to  get  a  drink  of 
water.  But  if  God  could  furnish  water,  he  could  also  give 
those  people  food. 

The  mothers  tried  to  make  the  luncheons  last,  but  the 
baskets  became  lighter  and  lighter.  And  the  emptier  the 
baskets  grew,  the  hungrier  those  children  seemed  to  be ! 

“  I’m  so  hungry,  mother ;  give  me  something  to  eat,” 
Rachel  would  say. 

“  I’m  hungry,  too,”  Joseph  would  say. 

Then  their  mother  would  take  out  a  very  small  piece  of 
bread  and  give  it  to  them. 

“  It’s  gone,  mother;  we  are  very  hungry,”  Joseph  would 
say. 

“  It  is  all  that  I  can  give  you,  children,”  their  mother 
would  tell  them.  “  There  is  but  a  morsel  left  for  next  time.” 

Other  children  were  crying  for  something  to  eat.  Soon 
the  mothers  all  through  the  procession  were  saying,  “  Our 
food  is  gone ;  not  a  crumb  remains.” 

Moses  comforted  them.  “  God  will  surely  take  care  of  us. 
Remember  his  promise,  ‘  Certainly  I  will  be  with  thee.’  God 
is  with  us  all  the  time.  See  the  cloud  that  leads  us.  Do  not 
fear ;  he  will  not  let  us  starve.” 

“  I  wish  we  were  back  in  Egypt,”  grumbled  some  one. 

“  At  least  we  had  plenty  to  eat  there,”  said  another. 

“  Oh,  the  fleshpots  of  Egypt !  ”  groaned  a  hungry  old  man. 

“  And  the  onions  and  the  leeks !  ” 

“  And  the  sweet,  juicy  melons !  ” 

“  God  will  not  forget  you,  if  you  obey  him,”  said  Moses. 

And  God  did  not  forget  his  people;  for  he  saw  that  they 
were  really  trying  to  be  his  obedient  children,  even  though 
they  sometimes  forgot  and  complained  when  things  seemed 
hard. 

Lie  spoke  to  Moses,  saying:  “I  will  rain  bread  from 
heaven  for  you.  The  people  shall  go  out  and  gather  it  from 
the  ground.” 

Then  God  told  Moses  that  he  was  going  to  try  the  people 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


357 


in  a  lesson  of  obedience  to  his  will.  Six  days  the  food  was 
to  be  given.  They  were  to  gather  just  enough  for  them¬ 
selves.  and  no  more,  except  on  the  sixth  day.  On  that  day 
they  would  find  that  they  had  twice  as  much  as  on  the  other 
days,  because  the  next  day  was  the  Sabbath.  No  food  would 
be  given  on  that  day ;  no  work  should  be  done. 

Moses  and  Aaron  told  this  good  news  to  the  people. 

“  To-morrow  you  shall  see  what  God  has  power  to  do  for 
you,”  they  said. 

So  when  the  next  morning  came,  and  they  looked  from 
their  tents,  they  saw  a  wonderful  sight.  All  over  the  ground 
lay  tiny,  white,  round  things. 

“  What  is  it  ?  ”  cried  the  fathers  and  mothers. 

“  What  is  it  ?  ”  asked  the  children. 

“  It  is  the  bread  that  God  has  given  you  to  eat,”  said 
Moses.  “  Gather  it  every  day,  just  enough,  and  no  more.” 

They  picked  up  some  from  the  ground.  They  tasted  it. 
How  sweet  it  was !  Then  the  fathers  and  mothers  and  the 
little  children  began  to  gather  the  strange  bread.  How  glad 
they  were  to  have  this  good  food ! 

“  Do  not  leave  any  until  morning,”  said  Moses,  for  he  re¬ 
membered  what  God  had  commanded. 

However,  some  of  the  people  were  afraid  that  they  never 
would  get  any  more.  They  did  not  obey  what  Moses  told 
them,  but  kept  some  of  the  food  and  hid  it  away  until  morn¬ 
ing. 

They  then  found  the  food  full  of  worms.  Moses  was  very 
angry  with  those  who  had  disobeyed. 

The  next  day,  when  the  people  rose  and  looked  from  their 
tents,  the  ground  was  again  covered  with  the  strange,  new, 
sweet  food. 

They  began  to  call  it  “  manna,”  that  is,  “  What  is  it?  ”  for 
they  knew  no  other  name. 

This  time  they  obeyed  God ;  they  gathered  just  enough  for 
their  need,  and  no  more. 

When  the  hot  sun  rose,  the  rest  melted  away. 

On  the  sixth  day  they  found  twice  as  much  as  on  other 
days. 

Moses  then  said  to  them :  “  This  is  God’s  message  to  you : 

‘  To-morrow  is  a  rest  day,  the  holy  Sabbath,  my  day.  Bake 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


or  boil  what  you  need  for  to-morrow  as  well  as  for  to-day, 
and  keep  it  over.’  ” 

The  Israelites  obeyed ;  and  when  the  morning  of  the  Sab¬ 
bath  came,  there  was  no  manna  upon  the  ground ;  but  the 
food  that  they  had  cooked  was  still  sweet,  and  they  had 
enough. 

The  people  rested  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and  kept  it  as  God 
told  them  to  do. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“Oh  give  thanks  unto  Jehovah;  for  he  is  good; 

For  his  lovingkindness  endureth  for  ever. 

Oh  give  thanks  unto  the  God  of  gods ; 

For  his  lovingkindness  endureth  for  ever. 

Oh  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord  of  lords ; 

For  his  lovingkindness  endureth  for  ever; 

To  him  who  alone  doeth  great  wonders ; 

For  his  lovingkindness  endureth  for  ever.  .  .  . 

Who  giveth  food  to  all  flesh ; 

For  his  lovingkindness  endureth  for  ever.” 

— Psalm  136:1-4,  25. 

“And  he  rained  down  manna  upon  them  to  eat, 

And  gave  them  food  from  heaven. 

Man  did  eat  the  bread  of  the  mighty: 

He  sent  them  food  to  the  full.” 

Psalm  78 :24,  25. 


Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  always  to  remember  that  thou 
art  a  God  of  loving-kindness,  that  thou  wilt  not  ask  us  to 
do  things  that  we  cannot  do.  Help  us  to  remember  that 
while  we  are  doing  thy  will,  thou  wilt  take  care  of  us.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Give  an  impromptu  dramatization  of  the  story. 

Make  a  class  booklet  similar  to  that  suggested  for  the  last 
lesson,  using  pictures  of  things  suitable  for  food  which  the 
teacher  has  previously  selected,  for  the  children  to  cut  out 
and  mount.  Intersperse  verses  selected  from  the  Bible  Read¬ 
ing  lesson,  and  copied  by  the  children. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 


THE  GIVING  OF  THE  LAW 
Exodus  19:16-25;  20:1-18;  24:3,  4,  7 
Memory  Verse 

“  All  that  Jehovah  hath  spoken  will  we  do,  and  be 
obedient.” — Exodus  24 :7. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Elim  was  a  pleasant  camping  spot  for  the  Israelites,  but 
in  late  May  or  early  June,  they  received  the  signal  through 
the  moving  of  the  cloud  that  it  was  God’s  will  for  them  to 
take  up  their  journey  again. 

In  due  time  they  reached  the  foot  of  Mount  Sinai.  A 
wild,  rugged  mountain  speaks  a  special  message  of  grandeur 
and  awe,  and  this  must  have  been  strongly  marked  in  the 
case  of  these  people  who  had  spent  their  lives  in  a  flat 
country. 

This  truly  was  a  place  of  wonderful  majesty,  with  its 
desert  waste  and  silence,  while,  just  beyond,  the  mountain 
towered  up  toward  heaven. 

The  tents  were  pitched,  and  the  people  soon  settled  in  the 
spot  which  was  to  be  their  camping  place  for  eleven  months, 
and  where  was  to  be  enacted  one  of  the  momentous  events 
in  the  history  of  their  nation.  They  were  about  to  enter 
upon  a  contract,  or  agreement,  with  God. 

Moses  ascended  the  mount,  and  God  spoke  these  words  to 
him:  “Thus  shalt  thou  say  to  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  tell 
the  children  of  Israel:  Ye  have  seen  what  I  did  unto  the 
Egyptians,  and  how  I  bare  you  on  eagles*  wings,  and  brought 
you  unto  myself.  Now  therefore,  if  ye  will  obey  my  voice 
indeed,  and  keep  my  covenant,  then  ye  shall  be  mine  own 
possession.” 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Moses  came  down  and  told  the  words  of  God  to  the  people, 
and  they  solemnly  answered,  “  All  that  Jehovah  hath  spoken 
will  we  do.” 

Then  Moses  returned  to  the  Mount,  and  the  Lord  told  him 
that  the  people  were  to  receive  the  covenant  from  him.  Very 
solemn  were  the  instructions,  and  very  solemnly  did  the 
people  follow  them. 

In  beginning  the  story  dwell  upon  the  majesty  of  the 
mountain;  ask  the  children  if  they  know  what  a  mountain  is. 

Sketch  an  outline  of  a  mountain ;  compare  a  mountain  and 
a  hill. 


The:  Story 

“  Mother,  look  !  ” 

“  Father,  father,  what  is  that  ?  ” 

Ever  and  ever  so  many  little  boys  and  girls  asked  this 
question  one  day  quite  a  long  time  after  they  had  left  the 
pleasant  place  where  the  palm  trees  grew. 

A  great,  tall  mountain  lifted  itself  up,  up  right  toward 
the  sky. 

The  land  of  Egypt  was  as  flat  as  a  table ;  the  children 
never  before  had  seen  a  mountain  such  as  this.  In  some  way 
it  made  them  feel  very  solemn  and  quiet. 

The  cloud  that  had  been  leading  them  stopped.  Presently 
the  fathers  had  pitched  the  tents.  Here  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain  they  were  to  stay  awhile. 

Moses  went  up  into  the  mountain ;  and  when  he  came 
down  again,  he  had  a  wonderful  message  from  God. 

God  spoke  to  him  away  up  there  in  the  heights,  and  he 
told  the  message  tO'  the  fathers  and  mothers.  In  three  days 
God  was  coming  to  the  mountain  to  talk  to  them. 

They  were  to  make  themselves  ready  to  come  into  God’s 
presence. 

Then  the  mothers  began  to  be  busy,  very  busy.  The  big 
brothers  and  sisters  had  to  take  care  of  the  babies  and 
smallest  children.  The  very  biggest  boys  and  girls  helped 
their  mothers. 

The  mothers  washed  the  clothes,  and  as  they  worked,  they 
talked  about  the  wonderful  thing  that  was  going  to  happen. 

The  big  boys  and  girls  carried  the  water ;  they,  too,  talked 
about  the  day  that  was  coming. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


361 


“  Let  us  make  haste  to  be  ready,”  said  the  mothers,  and 
then  everyone  worked  the  harder. 

Boys  and  girls  and  mothers  and  fathers  often  looked  at 
the  top  of  the  mountain. 

“  It  is  so  high  that  it  looks  as  if  it  must  reach  almost  to 
heaven,”  thought  the  children. 

God  had  said  to  Moses,  “  Tell  the  people  that  if  they  obey 
me  and  keep  the  rules  that  I  am  about  to  give  them,  they 
shall  be  my  own  chosen  people.”  Then  God  told  Moses  how 
the  people  were  to  make  ready. 

Moses  went  down  the  mountain  and  gave  God’s  message  to 
the  people. 

“  In  three  days  God  will  speak  to  you,”  he  said.  “  Make 
yourselves  clean  and  fit  and  worthy  to  come  into  his  pres¬ 
ence.  Wash  your  clothes  and  get  ready.” 

Then  he  placed  a  mark  around  the  mountain.  “  Come  no 
nearer,”  he  warned  solemnly.  “  The  man,  woman,  or  child 
who  passes  beyond  shall  surely  die.” 

The  people  rose  bright  and  early  on  the  morning  of  the 
third  day.  They  dressed  in  their  clean,  best  clothing ;  soon 
all  were  ready.  They  came  from  their  tents,  and  waited  for 
Moses  to  lead  them. 

A  thick  cloud  hung  over  the  mountain,  and  there  were 
thunderings  and  lightnings.  Presently  the  loud  sound  of  a 
trumpet  was  heard. 

Moses  led  the  people  from  the  camp ;  they  came  closer  to 
the  mountain. 

The  trumpet  sounded  louder  and  louder.  The  mountain 
smoked  like  a  furnace.  The  people  were  very  quiet. 

Then  Moses  spoke,  and  God  answered.  He  called  Moses 
to  come  up  to  the  top  of  the  mountain,  and  Moses  obeyed. 

God  said,  “  Go  down  and  tell  the  people  not  to  come  too 
close,  lest  they  die.” 

Moses  answered,  “  The  people  cannot  come  closer,  for 
thou  didst  charge  us  to  set  bounds  about  the  mount.” 

Then  solemnly  God  spoke  the  words  of  his  Law.  There 
were  Ten  Commandments  that  they  must  obey. 

The  First  Commandment  was  about  loving  God.  They 
must  love  God  more  than  anything  else  in  the  world.  This 
was  right,  for  God  had  done  everything  for  them. 

The  Second  Commandment  told  them  that  they  must  pray 


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'  PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


to  God  alone,  and  to  no  other  god.  This  was  right,  for  there 
is  no  other  God. 

The  Third  Commandment  told  them  to  speak  God’s  name 
only  in  right  ways. 

The  Fourth  Commandment  told  them  that  they  must  keep 
one  day  of  the  week  for  God,  the  holy  sabbath  day. 

The  other  laws  told  the  people  how  they  should  treat  one 
another. 

The  Fifth  Commandment  was  for  every  boy  and  girl.  It 
said  that  they  must  honor  and  obey  their  fathers  and 
mothers. 

Other  laws  commanded  that  they  must  not  kill ;  they  must 
not  steal ;  they  must  not  lie ;  they  must  not  want  what  be¬ 
longed  to  some  one  else. 

All  the  laws  were  wonderful  and  true  and  good.  God 
gave  them  because  no  one  in  all  the  wide  world  can  be  happy 
unless  he  keeps  them.  God  wants  the  people  to  be  happy. 

When  the  people  heard  these  laws,  they  promised  solemnly, 
“  All  that  Jehovah  hath  spoken  will  we  do,  and  be  obedient.” 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBEE  READING  LESSON 
EOUR  OE  god’s  COMMANDMENTS 

“  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me. 

“  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  a  graven  image,  nor  any 
likeness  of  anything  that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  that  is  in  the 
earth  beneath,  or  that  is  in  the  water  under  the  earth :  thou 
shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  unto  them,  nor  serve  them ;  for  I 
Jehovah  thy  God  am  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquity  of 
the  fathers  upon  the  children,  upon  the  third  and  upon  the 
fourth  generation  of  them  that  hate  me,  and  showing  loving¬ 
kindness  unto  thousands  of  them  that  love  me  and  keep  my 
commandments. 

“  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  Jehovah  thy  God  in 
vain;  for  Jehovah  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his 
name  in  vain.” 

“  Remember  the  sabbath  day,  to  keep  it  holy.  Six  days 
shalt  thou  labor,  and  do  all  thy  work ;  but  the  seventh  day 
is  a  sabbath  unto  Jehovah  thy  God :  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do 
any  work,  thou,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  thy  man- 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


363 


servant,  nor  thy  maid-servant,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stranger 
that  is  within  thy  gates ;  for  in  six  days  Jehovah  made  heaven 
and  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,  and  rested  the 
seventh  day :  wherefore  Jehovah  blessed  the  seventh  day,  and 
hallowed  it.” 

Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  may  we  remember  that  these  laws  were 
for  all  thy  people.  May  we  remember  that  they  are  for  us  to 
obey;  that  keeping  them  is  thy  will.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  representation  of  the  mount  and  the  encampment 
below  upon  the  sand  table. 

Show  the  children  how  the  tents  were  pitched. 


364 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Make  an  assignment  of  a  proper  amount  of  the  Ten  Com¬ 
mandments  for  your  particular  class  to  memorize,  and  con¬ 
tinue  until  the  task  is  completed.  The  teacher  will  find  it  a 
help  to  have  the  Commandments  typewritten,  ready  to  give 
to  the  pupils  for  home  work. 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  TWO  BRAVE  SPIES 
Numbers  13:1-3,  17-33;  14:1-10,  30 
Memory  Verse 

“Jehovah  is  with  us:  fear  them  not.” — Numbers  14:9. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

The  Ten  Commandments  were  given  while  the  Israelites 
were  encamped  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Sinai.  They  remained 
at  this  encampment,  obediently  awaiting  the  command  to  go 
forward,  for  eleven  months,  and  then  the  signal  came. 

The  easiest  way  to  the  Promised  Land  was  through 
Kadesh-barnea.  This  was  a  very  trying  march  through  the 
“  great  and  terrible  wilderness,”  filled  with  dangers  because 
of  heat  and  hunger  and  thirst. 

Among  other  hostile  conditions  were  the  wandering  desert 
people,  poisonous  snakes,  and  the  seemingly  endless  wastes 
without  roads. 

Kadesh-barnea  was  eleven  days’  journey  from  Sinai,  and 
was  near  the  southern  boundary  of  Palestine. 

Moses  said,  “  Behold,  Jehovah  thy  God  hath  set  the  land 
before  thee :  go  up,  take  possession,  .  .  .  fear  not,  neither 
be  dismayed.” 

God  told  them  to  send  out  a  delegation  of  their  number 
to  find  out  something  about  the  land.  Twelve  men,  one 
from  each  tribe,  were  selected  to  “  spy  out  the  land  ”  and 
to  bring  back  a  report  as  to  the  nature  of  the  inhabitants,  the 
kind  of  soil,  climate,  and  vegetation ;  in  fact,  all  information 
that  they  could  obtain. 

The  account  of  the  mission,  and  its  failure  is  the  theme 
of  to-day’s  story. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS  365 

Thl  Story 

The  fathers  and  mothers  and  children  grew  quite  used  to 
living  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Sinai.  The  cloud  rested  there 
for  nearly  a  year. 

Then  some  one  saw  it  begin  to  move. 

“  The  cloud  is  moving !  The  cloud  is  moving !  ”  The 
word  passed  from  tent  to  tent. 

Soon  everyone  in  the  camp  was  hurrying  about.  Fathers 
gathered  together  the  flocks,  and  pulled  up  the  tent  pins. 

Mothers  rolled  up  the  rugs  and  beds  and  packed  the  dishes 
and  the  baskets  that  were  used  for  gathering  the  manna,  the 
mixing  troughs,  and  all  the  other  things. 

The  boys  and  girls  helped ;  everyone  was  busy. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  great  procession  was  again  fol¬ 
lowing  the  cloud. 

They  traveled  for  eleven  days. 

Then  Moses  said :  “  Look !  God  has  brought  you  to  the 
border  of  our  Promised  Land.  It  is  just  beyond.  Go  up 
and  take  it.  Be  not  afraid.  God  has  promised  it  to  us.” 

But  those  people  were  afraid.  They  were  not  quite  willing 
to  obey  the  will  of  God.  They  stood  back. 

They  asked  that  a  few  of  their  company  might  go  ahead 
to  spy  out  the  land.  If  it  seemed  quite  safe  to  these  scouts, 
if  it  were  as  good  as  God  had  said — then  they  would  go. 

So  God  let  them  have  their  own  way.  Twelve  men  were 
chosen.  They  started  away,  and  went  into  the  hill  country. 

Eagerly  they  looked  over.  The  land  was  beautiful ! 

Green  fields  and  woods  and  flowery  meadows  and  vines 
and  hills  were  everywhere.  God  had  put  a  great  many  beau¬ 
tiful  things  into  this  Promised  Land  for  his  people. 

Suddenly  one  of  the  spies  clutched  one  of  the  others  and 
pointed. 

“  Look  !  Giants  live  there  !  ”  he  exclaimed. 

Indeed,  there  were  people  living  there ;  tall,  strong  men 
who  could  fight  with  arrows  and  spears  and  swords. 

They  found  some  beautiful  grapevines  with  fine,  big,  ripe 
clusters  of  fruit  upon  them.  Never  had  they  tasted  such 
sweet  and  juicy  grapes. 

They  cut  a  branch  which  had  one  cluster;  it  was  so  large 
that  they  hung  it  over  a  staff,  and  two  men  carried  it. 


366 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


They  also  gathered  some  figs  and  other  fruit  to  show  to 
Moses  and  the  people  back  in  the  camp. 

In  forty  days  the  spies  were  back  again.  They  showed 
the  splendid  bunch  of  grapes,  and  the  fruit. 

“  Truly  it  is  a  wonderful  land !  See  the  fruit!  ”  they  said. 

Then  ten  of  the  men  began  to  talk  excitedly. 

“  But  there  are  giants  living  there !  ”  exclaimed  one. 

4  They  are  very  strong ;  they  can  fight  with  spears  and 
swords !  ” 

“  Their  cities  have  walls  around  them !” 

“  We  saw  the  giants  !  We  all  saw  them  !  ” 

Then  the  ten  spies  exclaimed,  “  We  are  afraid  of  the 
giants  in  the  land  !  ” 

But  two  of  the  spies  were  braver  than  the  others. 

“  Let  us  have  courage !  Let  us  go  up  and  take  our  land. 
God  will  go  with  us,”  said  Caleb,  one  of  these  men. 

Joshua,  the  other  brave  spy,  said  the  same. 

“  No,  we  cannot  go  up  against  those  giants,”  exclaimed 
the  ten  timid  spies.  “  We  looked  like  grasshoppers  beside 
those  men !  ” 

Very  soon  the  whole  camp  was  in  an  uproar.  Those 
foolish  people  cried  and  groaned.  They  scolded  Moses  and 
Aaron. 

“  We  might  better  have  died  in  Egypt !  We  wish  we  had 
died  in  the  desert !  ”  they  grumbled. 

“  Those  giants  will  kill  us !  ”  cried  the  old  men  and  women. 

“  Our  little  children  will  be  killed !  ”  exclaimed  the  fathers 
and  mothers. 

Then  those  foolish,  cowardly  people  began  to  cry:  “Let 
us  go  back  to  Egypt !  Let  us  choose  another  captain  and 
go  back !  ” 

Moses  and  Aaron  fell  on  their  faces.  Caleb  and  Joshua, 
the  two  brave  spies,  tore  their  clothes  as  was  the  custom  at 
that  time,  when  people  were  in  trouble,  and  wept  for  grief. 

God,  too,  was  grieved.  His  people  whom  he  had  taken 
care  of  and  brought  to  the  edge  of  the  Promised  Land  had 
treated  his  gift  in  a  strange,  ungrateful,  wicked  way.  He 
had  been  patient  with  them  so  long ! 

They  were  not  ready  yet  to  go  into  the  Promised  Land. 
They  must  remain  outside,  to  learn  many  more  lessons  in 
obedience  to  his  will.  They  could  not  go  on. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


367 


Their  disobedience  to  God’s  will  brought  this  punishment : 
u  You  cannot  come  into  the  Promised  Land  that  I  wanted  to 
give  you.  Only  those  who  learn  to  obey  my  will  may  go. 
You  must  stay  in  the  wilderness.” 

The  people  did  not  live  long  enough  to  reach  the  new 
homeland ;  but  God  promised  that  the  two  brave  spies  who 
had  learned  to  obey  and  trust  him  should  surely  go  into  the 
new  homeland. 


Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 
SIX  MORE  OE  god’s  COMMANDMENTS 

“  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother,  that  thy  days  may  be 
long  in  the  land  which  Jehovah  thy  God  giveth  thee. 

“  Thou  shalt  not  kill. 

“  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery. 

“  Thou  shalt  not  steal. 

“  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbor. 

“  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor’s  house,  thou  shalt  not 
covet  thy  neighbor’s  wife,  nor  his  man-servant,  nor  his  maid¬ 
servant,  nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass,  nor  anything  that  is  thy 
neighbor’s.” 


Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  it  sometimes  takes  courage  to  do  thy 
will ;  but  we  know  that  that  does  not  excuse  us  for  not  doing 
it.  Help  us  to  follow  the  example  of  the  two  brave  men  in 
this  story.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  an  impromptu  dramatization  of  the  story  in  three 
acts : 

Act  I :  Choosing  the  spies. 

Act  II :  The  reconn oiter  of  the  Promised  Land. 

Act  III:  The  return  to  the  camp,  the  reception  of  the 
news,  the  result. 

Try  to  do  one  especially  hard,  right  thing  this  week. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 


JOSHUA  LEADING  THE  ISRAELITES  INTO  THE 

PROMISED  LAND 

Joshua  1 :6;  chapters  3,  4;  5:10-12 
Memory  Verse 

“  Be  strong  and  of  good  courage.” — Joshua  1 :6. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

A  great  strangeness  and  loneliness  must  have  pervaded  the 
camp  of  Israel  when  Moses,  the  leader  of  the  Israelites,  did 
not  return  to  them  after  he  had  ascended  Mount  Nebo  to 
view  the  beauties  of  the  Promised  Land  which  lie  himself 
was  not  to  enter. 

“  O  Lord  God,”  he  must  have  prayed,  knowing  that  his 
transgression  at  the  miracle  of  the  rock  (Numbers,  chap¬ 
ter  20)  had  denied  him  the  privilege  of  leading  the  people 
into  the  land,  “  let  me  go  over  and  see  the  good  land  that  is 
beyond  Jordan.”  The  view  from  Mount  Nebo  was  the  an¬ 
swer  to  this  request. 

Although  Moses  did  not  actually  achieve  that  for  which 
he  had  striven  all  his  life,  it  was  through  him  that  the  great 
work  was  accomplished.  The  fact  that  he  did  not  lead  the 
people  over  the  Jordan  and  triumphantly  enter  the  land  did 
not  in  any  way  detract  from  the  wonderful  strength  and 
beauty  of  his  character.  This  is  a  great  thought  for  the 
teacher. 

Joshua  was  the  man  chosen  to  take  up  the  work  which 
Moses  laid  down.  He  and  Caleb  had  been  promised  the  right 
to  enter  the  land,  long  years  before,  when,  as  spies,  sent  out 
to  reconnoiter,  they  came  back  with  brave  hearts,  and  urged 
for  an  immediate  and  courageous  move  of  the  host  into  the 
land  which  had  been  promised  them. 


368 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


369 


He  was  an  Ephraimite,  the  son  of  Nun.  He  was  a  trust¬ 
worthy  assistant  to  Moses,  and  was  a  man  who  made  himself 
felt  in  that  company  of  pilgrims. 

God  chose  him  as  Moses’  successor,  and  he  was  ordained 
as  such  by  Moses  before  his  death. 

At  the  Jordan  River  and  after  its  passage,  he  proved  him¬ 
self  a  man  of  military  ability,  a  man  who  had  determined  to 
follow  the  will  of  God  explicitly. 

The:  Story 

Forty  years  had  passed  since  the  great  procession  of 
people  hurried  away  from  Egypt  in  the  nighttime. 

The  tiniest  babies  were  now  grown-up  men  and  women. 
Many  of  the  fathers  and  mothers  and  even  Moses  and  Aaron 
and  Miriam  had  been  called  to  live  in  the  heavenly  home. 
Of  all  the  grown  people,  only  two  were  left — Joshua  and 
Caleb.  You  remember  what  God  said  that  day  when  the 
people  threw  stones  at  the  two  brave  spies  because  they 
wished  to  obey  God  and  go  on. 

Before  God  called  Moses  to  live  in  the  heavenly  home, 
Moses  appointed  Joshua  as  leader. 

Now,  between  the  desert  and  the  Promised  Land  there 
flowed  the  Jordan  River.  (Show  on  your  diagram  or  sand 
table.)  In  many  ways  it  is  a  strange  sort  of  river ;  it  rushes 
along  wildly ;  there  were  no  bridges  over  it,  and  no  boats 
floated  upon  it.  How  were  the  people  to  get  across? 

God  said  to  Joshua,  the  new  leader :  “  Go  over  this  Jordan, 
thou  and  all  this  people.  Go  over  into  the  Promised  Land. 
I  will  be  with  thee.  Be  strong  and  of  good  courage.  Do 
not  be  afraid.  I  will  go  with  thee.  I  will  be  with  thee  as  I 
was  with  Moses.” 

Early  in  the  morning  Joshua  told  the  people  to  come  close 
to  the  river.  This  time  the  Israelites  obeyed  without  com¬ 
plaining  and  crying ;  they  were  ready  to  do  God’s  will  even 
though  they  could  not  understand  just  how  they  were  going 
to  cross  the  river. 

The  most  precious  of  all  the  things  that  the  Israelites 
owned  was  the  Ark  of  God.  It  was  a  sign  of  God’s  nearness. 

The  people  loved  the  Ark,  and  were  ready  to  protect  it 
with  their  lives. 


370 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


It  was  a  box  made  of  the  strong  wood  of  a  tree  that  grew 
in  some  places  in  the  wilderness.  It  was  covered  outside  and 
lined  inside  with  pure  gold. 

There  were  two  golden  rings  on  each  side.  Two  long, 
strong,  wooden  poles  covered  with  gold  were  slipped  through 
the  rings,  so  that  men  could  carry  the  Ark  about  without 
touching  it. 

It  had  a  lid  of  solid  gold. 

There  were  two  golden  angels,  called  cherubim,  at  each 
end  of  the  lid.  They  faced  each  other,  and  their  wings  were 
outstretched  over  the  golden  box. 

This  golden  box  had  been  made  to  carry  something  very 
precious :  God’s  Ten  Commandments  written  on  two  pieces 
of  stone. 

No  wonder  the  Ark  of  gold  was  very  precious  to  the 
people.  In  three  days  officers  went  among  the  people  and 
said,  “  When  ye  see  the  priests  carrying  the  Ark  of  God,  ye 
are  to  follow.” 

Joshua  said,  “  God  is  about  to  do  a  wonderful  thing  for 
you.” 

The  people  folded  away  their  tents ;  they  were  ready.  The 
priests  took  up  the  Ark  and  went  forward.  They  came  to 
the  brink  of  the  river  Jordan,  the  very  edge. 

Then  a  marvelous  thing  happened.  The  waters  were 
stopped  in  their  course,  and  were  kept  back.  The  land  ap¬ 
peared,  and  the  people  passed  on.  When  the  priests  reached 
the  middle  of  the  river,  they  stood  still,  so  that  all  the  people 
might  see  the  precious  Ark. 

The  people  followed  bravely;  right  through  the  Jordan 
they  walked ;  everyone  reached  the  other  side.  They  had 
reached  the  Promised  Land  !  God  had  gone  with  them  every 
step  of  the  way.  They  had  crossed  over  into  their  beautiful 
new  homeland ! 

God  said  to  Joshua :  “  Choose  twelve  men  and  tell  them 
to  take  twelve  stones  from  the  middle  of  the  Jordan.  Place 
the  stones  together  for  a  heap  of  memory  stones,  that  you 
may  never  forget  this  day.  When  your  children  shall  say, 
‘  What  mean  these  stones  ? 5  you  shall  tell  them  about  this 
day  when  the  Lord  dried  up  the  waters  of  the  Jordan.” 

The  twelve  men  did  as  they  were  bidden ;  the  twelve  mem¬ 
ory  stones  were  put  in  place.  And  when  the  people  and  the 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


371 


precious  Ark  were  safely  over  in  the  Promised  Land,  the 
waters  of  the  Jordan  River  flowed  on  in  their  old  places 
again. 


Devotional  Service: 

A  BIBLE  READING  EESSON 

“  Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh  not  in  the  counsel  of  the  wicked, 
Nor  standeth  in  the  way  of  sinners, 

Nor  sitteth  in  the  seat  of  scoffers: 

But  his  delight  is  in  the  law  of  Jehovah; 

And  on  his  law  doth  he  meditate  day  and  night. 

And  he  shall  be  like  a  tree  planted  by  the  streams  of  water, 

That  bringeth  forth  its  fruit  in  its  season, 

Whose  leaf  also  doth  not  wither ; 

And  whatsoever  he  doeth  shall  prosper. 

The  wicked  are  not  so, 

But  are  like  the  chaff  which  the  wind  driveth  away. 

Therefore  the  wicked  shall  not  stand  in  the  judgment, 

Nor  sinners  in  the  congregation  of  the  righteous. 

For  Jehovah  knoweth  the  way  of  the  righteous; 

But  the  way  (  f  the  wicked  shall  perish.” 

— Psalm  1. 


Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  help  us  to  be  strong  and  of  good  courage 
when  we  are  told  to  do  a  thing  that  is  right  for  us  to  do. 
Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Stepping-Stones  Over  the  Jordan 

If  you  have  been  teaching  the  Ten  Commandments,  here  is 
a  simple  device  which  so  savors  of  the  spirit  of  play  and  of 
a  game  that  will  relieve  the  tedium  of  the  repetition  which  is 
necessary.  With  the  flat  side  of  a  short  piece  of  crayon,  rep¬ 
resent  a  sheet  of  water  between  two  opposite  bits  of  shore. 
Tell  the  children  that  this  will  represent  the  Jordan  River, 
one  bank  the  wilderness  side,  and  the  opposite  bank  the 
Promised  Land.  Now  that  the  story  of  the  wanderings  and 
the  crossing  of  the  Jordan  has  been  told,  impress  upon  the 
minds  of  the  pupils  the  fact  that  the  “  Ten  Commandments  ” 


372 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


were  the  “  helps  ”  that  the  people  had  in  reaching  their  Prom¬ 
ised  Land — they  were  like  “  stepping-stones  ”  over  the  Jor¬ 
dan  ;  they  are  “  stepping-stones  ”  for  us.  They  help  in  right 
living,  and  in  pleasing  God.  Ask  who  wishes  to  “  cross 
over  ”  on  these  stones  ?  Each  stone  represents  a  Command¬ 
ment.  Let  the  children  recite  as  you  point  to  a  stone.  Use 
the  question,  “  How  far  can  you  go?  ”  When  the  other  side 
is  reached  “  by  recitation,”  give  the  child  a  seal  or  a  gold  star 
to  paste  on  the  “  shore.” 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

A  STORY  OF  SEVEN  OBEDIENT  DAYS 

Joshua  6:1-20 
Memory  Verse 

“  Whithersoever  thou  sendest  us  we  will  go.” 

— Joshua  1 :16b. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

This  lesson  has  been  chosen  to  show  that  the  Israelites 
themselves  had  made  considerable  progress  toward  that  state 
of  obedience  to-  God’s  will  that  he  desired  and  demanded 
from  his  chosen  people.  Tell  the  story  in  such  a  way  that 
this  obedience  to  Jehovah’s  commands  stands  out  in  full 
relief. 

Joshua  had  been  the  constant  helper  and  follower  of 
Moses,  and  it  was  his  affectionate  desire  to  carry  out  the 
life-long  wish  of  his  leader.  This  was  to  be  the  purpose  of 
the  remainder  of  his  own  life. 

“  Be  strong  and  of  good  courage,”  his  leader  had  said  to 
him,  and  Joshua  adopted  this  phrase  as  his  watchword,  and 
passed  it  on  to  the  people. 

Jericho  was  a  strategic  city  of  Canaan,  situated  west  of 
the  Jordan,  not  far  from  the  Dead  Sea.  Its  vegetation  was 
luxuriant.  The  rose  of  Jericho,  the  beautiful  palm  trees,  the 
balsams,  the  sycamores  and  many,  many  other  trees  and 
plants  grew  in  unusual  abundance.  At  this  time  it  was  a 
walled  town. 

Joshua  was  a  man  who  stood  for  the  right  and  battled  for 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


373 


it.  Canaan’s  inhabitants  were  idolators,  and  their  lives  were 
quite  contrary  to  the  ideals  presented  in  the  Ten  Command¬ 
ments,  the  Israelites’  sacred  code  given  them  by  Jehovah. 

It  is  recorded  that  during  Joshua’s  life  Israel  served  God 
and  obeyed  his  will. 

In  the  Primary  class  we  need  raise  no  question  as  to  the 
falling  of  the  walls  of  Jericho.  Theirs  is  the  story  in  its 
simplicity,  representing  a  leader  brave  to  do  God’s  will,  a 
people  struggling  to  learn  this  lesson  and  for  the  time 
succeeding. 

Review  the  preceding  story  to  such  an  extent  that  the 
transition  to  to-day’s  lesson  will  be  simple. 

Thk  Story 

Over  the  Jordan  River,  and  not  a  life  lost!  Not  even  the 
friskiest  boy  was  missing !  All  the  flocks  were  safe ! 

The  beautiful,  golden  Ark  was  safe! 

Home  at  last  in  the  Promised  Land ! 

But  all  was  not  yet  going  to  be  easy  for  the  people.  There 
was  still  much  work  to  be  done. 

There  were  the  people  who  lived  in  the  land ;  the  people 
who  cared  not  at  all  for  the  one  true  God. 

There  were  the  walled  cities  filled  with  people  who  had 
weapons  of  war  and  who  knew  how  to  fight. 

Right  ahead  of  them  was  a  great  city  called  Jericho.  It 
had  a  towering  big  wall. 

The  people  of  Jericho  saw  the  Israelites,  and  they  closed 
the  big  gates  of  the  city  and  locked  them  fast.  No  one  came 
out,  and  no  one  went  in. 

When  all  the  people  were  over  the  river,  God  spoke  to 
Joshua,  saying:  “  I  have  given  you  the  city.” 

Then  God  said :  “  All  the  men  of  war,  the  soldiers,  shall 
march  round  the  walls  of  Jericho,  once.  Seven  priests  bear¬ 
ing  trumpets  made  of  rams’  horns  shall  march  before  the 
Ark.  The  seventh  day  ye  shall  march  round  the  city  seven 
times.  The  priests  shall  blow  the  trumpets.” 

God  said :  “  On  the  seventh  day  when  the  priests  blow  a 
long  blast  with  the  rams’  horns,  all  the  people  shall  shout 
with  a  great  shout.  The  walls  of  the  city  shall  fall  down  flat, 
and  the  people  shall  go  up  every  man  straight  before  him. 

Then  Joshua  called  the  priests. 


374 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


“  Take  up  the  Ark,”  he  said,  “  and  let  seven  priests  bear 
seven  trumpets  of  rams’  horns  before  the  Ark  of  God.” 

Then  they  called  together  the  people  and  arranged  them 
in  a  long,  long  procession. 

“  Pass  on !  March  round  the  city !  ”  they  commanded. 
“  Let  the  armed  men  march  before  the  Ark  of  God !  ” 

Everyone  listened  tO'  the  will  of  God.  Everyone  obeyed. 
The  seven  priests  bearing  the  seven  trumpets  of  rams’  horns 
passed  on  and  blew  the  trumpets;  the  Ark  of  God  followed; 
then  followed  the  people. 

“  Ye  shall  not  shout,”  commanded  Joshua.  “  Ye  shall  not 
let  your  voices  be  heard.  Not  a  word  shall  come  out  of  your 
mouths  until  the  day  I  bid  you  shout.  Then  shall  ye  shout !  ” 

The  people  listened  and  obeyed.  They  marched  round  the 
city  once ;  not  a  word  was  spoken. 

When  they  had  gone  all  round  the  walls,  they  came  back 
to  the  camp  and  went  into  their  tents. 

The  gates  of  the  city  were  kept  locked  and  bolted.  The 
people  inside  were  afraid  when  they  saw  the  great  army 
march  round  the  walls. 

Joshua  rose  early  the  next  morning  and  called  the  people. 
The  priests  took  up  the  Ark ;  the  armed  men  found  their 
places ;  the  priests  bearing  the  trumpets  took  their  places ; 
they  blew  their  trumpets  as  they  went. 

They  marched  round  the  city  walls  once.  Not  a  word  was 
spoken.  Then  they  went  back  to  camp. 

The  third  day  they  did  same  thing,  and  the  fourth. 

The  people  of  Jericho  who  had  at  first  been  so  frightened 
began  to  wonder. 

When  the  third  and  fourth  days  passed,  and  the  walls  still 
stood,  the  gates  were  still  fast,  they  began  to  question. 

I  suppose  they  said :  “  Who  are  these  queer  strangers  who 
march  round  our  walls  ?  They  say  nothing !  They  do 
nothing !  Ha !  We  need  have  no  fear  of  these  men !  ” 

The  fifth  day  came,  and  the  men  of  Israel  marched  round 
the  walls  again — obediently,  without  a  question,  without  a 
word. 

The  sixth  day  they  did  the  same. 

Then  the  seventh  day  dawned.  Joshua  rose  early  and 
called  the  people. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


375 


“  March  round  the  city  seven  times  to-day,’’  he  com¬ 
manded.  “  When  I  bid  you,  shout !  ” 

So  the  people  marched — once  around,  twice  around,  and 
not  a  word  was  spoken ;  four  times,  five,  six  times. 

The  seventh  march  began — then  a  loud,  long  blast  of  the 
trumpet  sounded. 

“  Shout!  ”  commanded  Joshua. 

“  Shout!  for  Jehovah  hath  given  you  the  city!  ” 

Then  the  people  gave  a  mighty  shout  while  the  priests  blew 
a  blast  loud  and  long  upon  their  trumpets.  Altogether  they 
shouted,  obedient  to  the  command ! 

The  walls  of  Jericho  fell  flat !  The  people  rushed  in  and 
took  it  as  Jehovah  had  said. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  We  will  triumph  in  thy  salvation, 

And  in  the  name  of  our  God  we  will  set  up  our  banners : 

Jehovah  fulfill  all  thy  petitions.  .  .  . 

Some  trust  in  chariots,  and  some  in  horses ; 

But  we  will  make  mention  of  the  name  ot  Jehovah  our  God. 

They  are  bowed  down  and  fallen ; 

But  we  are  risen,  and  stand  upright. 

Save,  Jehovah: 

Let  the  King  answer  us  when  we  call.” 

— Psalm  20  :5,  7-9. 


Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  sometimes  we  may  not  quite  understand 
why  we  must  do  a  thing  in  just  the  way  that  we  are  told. 
But  may  we  obey  as  exactly  as  those  people  obeyed.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  short  dramatization  of  the  marching  scene.  . 


THE  RIGHT  USE  OF  GOD’S  GIFTS 
(TEMPERANCE) 


\ 


* 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

THE  HOUSE  IN  WHICH  I  LIVE 

I  Corinthians  3:16,  17b;  9:4,  25,  27;  II  Corinthians  5:1 

Memory  Verse 

“  Abhor  that  which  is  evil ;  cleave  to  that  which  is  good.” 

— Romans  12  :9. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

“  Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  a  temple  of  God,  and  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you?  ”  So  Paul  reminds  the  Cor¬ 
inthians  in  his  letter  of  instructions  regarding  right  ways  of 
living. 

“  And  God  created  man  in  his  own  image  .  .  .  and 
breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life,”  we  are  told  at 
the  very  beginning  of  God’s  Word,  and  the  Book  is  filled 
with  precept,  exhortation,  and  ideal  pictures  which  make  it 
clear  how  God  would  have  his  children  keep  this  temple  as 
well  as  the  “  real  self,”  the  “  soul,”  that  dwells  therein. 

Lessons  on  the  care  of  this  house  of  the  soul  should  hold 
a  most  important  part  in  the  curriculum  of  the  church  school, 
and  the  beginning  of  such  instruction  is  certainly  in'  place  in 
simplified  form  in  the  Primary  Department. 

The  children  should  be  taught  respect  for  the  body  and 
a  feeling  of  pride  and  responsibility  in  its  proper  care,  de¬ 
velopment,  and  upkeep.  They  should  be  so  trained  that  they 
are  ashamed  of  any  neglect  of  cleanliness,  or  “  letting  down  ” 
of  personal  appearance. 

They  should  be  taught  about  the  things  that  injure  the 
body,  such  as  overeating ;  improper  kinds  of  food ;  germs 
which  may  enter  the  body  by  carelessness  in  handling  drink¬ 
ing  cups ;  or  by  coming  in  contact  with  the  dirty  house  fly ; 
by  food  contaminated  by  mice,  and  so  forth, 

379 


380 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  terrible  havoc  wrought  upon  the  body  by  indulging  in 
strong  drink  may  be  referred  to;  but  the  real  temperance  les¬ 
sons  for  the  Primary  grade  are  such  as  those  suggested 
above. 

Following  out  the  suggestion  given  by  Paul’s  question,  the 
teacher  may  make  a  comparison  between  the  body  and  a 
house. 

It  will  not  be  difficult  to  make  simple  sketches  upon  the 
blackboard  of  a  wigwam,  a  beehive,  a  bird  house,  an  Oriental 
tent,  a  modern  cottage.  Get  the  children  interested  in  the 
sketches  and  in  describing  them  as  homes,  dwelling  places, 
and  in  answering  the  questions : 

“Who  lives  here?” 

“  Who  keeps  the  house  ?  ” 

“  Is  it  kept  clean  ?  ” 

“  How  is  it  kept  clean  ?  ” 

When  interest  is  aroused,  make  the  transition  as  follows : 
Your  own  little  body  is  very  like  a  little  house,  your  house 
in  which  the  really-truly  “  you  ”  lives.  Your  two  eyes  are 
two  bright  windows ;  your  ears  are  windows,  too ;  and  your 
mouth  is  like  the  door.  Who  is  going  to  do  the  housekeep¬ 
ing  in  this  house?  Yes,  you,  yourself.  What  kind  of  house¬ 
keeper  are  you?  Now  you  have  four  good  servants  to  help 
you  with  this  work.  I  wonder  if  you  can  tell  who  they  are? 
(The  hands  and  feet.)  Let  us  name  some  of  the  things  that 
the  two  good  servants  Right  Hand  and  Left  Hand  can  do. 
(The  children  will  be  interested  in  being  contributors  to  the 
lesson  at  this  point.  Let  them  make  a  list  in  an  animated 
manner.)  What  can  Right  Foot  and  Left  Foot  do? 

Do  you  know  that  there  are  some  enemies  that  we  must 
try  to  keep  out  of  our  houses  which  we  are  trying  to  guard 
and  take  care  of  and  keep  so  clean?  Here  is  one  enemy. 
What  a  dirty  tramp  he  is!  (Sketch  a  house  fly.)  Why, 
many  a  time  he  has  made  a  hearty  meal  from  the  scavanger 
box !  Many  a  time  his  feet  are  covered  with  the  dirtiest 
kind  of  dirt !  Many  a  time  he  has  been  where  there  is  con¬ 
tagious  disease!  Try  to  keep  this  dirty  tramp  from  soiling 
your  clean  house,  and  bringing  you  illness. 

Then  there  are  some  wicked  little  enemies  called  “  germs.” 
You  will  have  to  be  careful  of  these  little  fellows,  for  they 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


381 


are  so  small  that  you  cannot  see  them.  They  sometimes  lurk 
on  the  outside  of  fruit  that  has  not  been  washed.  Mother 
has  to  be  careful  where  your  milk  has  been  bought  and  that 
it  is  kept  in  a  clean  place.  You  should  be  very,  very  careful 
of  the  kind  of  water  that  you  drink,  for  one  of  the  favorite 
hiding  places  is  in  water  that  does  not  come  from  a  healthy 
place.  Never  use  a  drinking  glass  that  belongs  in  a  public 
place,  because  these  sly  little  enemies  are  almost  always 
clinging  round  the  edge  of  such  a  glass. 

There  is  another  little  enemy  that  is  waiting  for  an  oppor¬ 
tunity  to  bring  trouble  to  that  nice,  clean  house  of  yours. 
Perhaps  you  can  guess  his  name.  He  is  quite  a  gay  fellow, 
and  sings  a  song  of  summer  evening,  but  it  is  a  song  that 
we  do  not  like.  Yes,  Mr.  Mosquito.  That  sharp  sting  is 
often  laden  with  poisons  which  make  people  ill. 

There  are  enemies  of  which  big  boys  and  men  must  espe¬ 
cially  beware.  But  little  boys  will  be  big  boys  and  men,  some 
day,  we  hope,  so  we  tell  them  in  time  to  BEWARE.  Cigar¬ 
ettes  are  dangerous  enemies,  because  in  them  is  hidden  a 
poison  called  “  nicotine.”  And  what  does  nicotine  do  ?  It 
often  keeps  the  young  boy  from  growing  strong  and  sturdy 
as  God  intended  him  to  be. 

Then  again,  one  of  the  worst  of  all  enemies  that  try  to  get 
in  at  the  door  of  your  body  house  is  Strong  Drink. 

Strong  Drink  is  a  thief — do  you  know  that  ?  He  steals  a 
man's  money.  He  steals  away  a  man’s  home,  because  he 
spends  all  his  money  in  such  foolish  ways,  after  Strong 
Drink  has  made  him  foolish.  He  steals  the  very  clothes 
from  a  man’s  back,  so  that  he  goes  about  dressed  like  a  beg¬ 
gar.  He  steals  a  man’s  good  looks.  He  steals  from  a  man’s 
wife  and  even  from  his  little  children.  What  a  thief  is 
Strong  Drink!  You  will  never,  never  let  him  through  the 
door  of  your  house,  will  you  ? 

Tell  the  story  of  the  Prodigal  Son  in  such  a  way  as  to 
emphasize  clearly  the  disaster  that  intemperance  in  food  and 
drink  and  wrong  habits  of  life  are  sure  to  bring  to  the  temple 
of  the  Spirit,  and  to  the  spirit  that  dwells  within  it. 

This  is  a  retold  story,  and  the  children  should  be  more 
or  less  familiar  with  the  facts. 


382 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


A  Boy  Who  Turned  Over  a  New  Leap 

There  was  a  certain  man  who  had  two  sons.  He  was  a 
good  and  kind  father,  and  gave  his  boys  a  great  many  good 
things ;  for  he  was  a  rich  man,  and  he  loved  them. 

One  day  the  younger  son  said :  “  Father,  give  me  the  por¬ 
tion  of  your  wealth  that  you  intend  for  me.  Give  it  to  me 
now,  that  I  may  go  and  enjoy  it.” 

Then  the  father  divided  his  fortune  between  his  sons. 

Not  many  days  afterwards,  the  younger  son  gathered  all 
his  possessions  together  and  took  his  journey  into  a  far 
country. 

There  he  made  friends  with  bad  companions.  He  ate  too 
much ;  he  drank  until  he  was  drunk. 

He  lived  a  very  wild  life,  and  wasted  the  money  that  his 
father  had  given  him. 

By  and  by  it  was  all  gone. 

At  that  time  a  great  famine  came  to  the  country.  The 
young  man  began  to  be  in  want.  He  had  nothing  to  eat ;  he 
was  in  rags. 

He  went  to  one  of  the  rich  men  of  the  place  and  asked 
for  work. 

The  man  sent  him  into  his  fields  to  feed  the  pigs. 

That  was  a  shameful  piece  of  work  for  a  proud  young 
Jew,  but  he  went  to  do  it. 

The  rich  owner  forgot  all  about  his  hired  man,  and  he 
grew  hungrier  and  hungrier.  Fie  would  have  been  glad  to 
eat  the  husks  that  he  fed  to  the  pigs. 

Then  that  young  man  began  to  think  of  his  good  father 
and  his  home  and  all  the  right  ways  of  living  that  his  father 
had  taught  him.  He  was  homesick. 

He  was  ashamed  of  his  dirty,  ragged  clothes.  He  was 
ashamed  of  his  empty  purse.  He  was  sorry  for  his  drunken¬ 
ness  and  his  bad  behaviour. 

“  How  many  hired  servants  of  my  father’s  have  bread 
enough  and  to  spare,  and  I  perish  here  with  hunger !  I  will 
arise  and  go  to  my  father,  and  will  say  unto  him,  Father,  I 
have  sinned  against  heaven,  and  in  thy  sight :  I  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  son :  make  me  as  one  of  thy  hired 
servants.” 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


383 


And  he  arose  and  went  back  to  his  father,  and  was  for¬ 
given. 

Dlvotionai,  Service 
a  bibee  reading  lesson 

“  And  God  said,  Get  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our 
likeness :  .  .  . 

And  God  created  man  in  his  own  image,  in  the  image  of 
God  created  he  him.” — Genesis  1 :26a ;  27. 

%  if:  5j:  *  >|c 

“  Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  a  temple  of  God,  and  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you? 

If  any  man  destroyeth  the  temple  of  God,  him  shall  God 
destroy ;  for  the  temple  of  God  is  holy,  and  such  are  ye.” 

— I  Corinthians  3:16,  17. 


Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  may  we  never  forget  that  we  are  made 
in  thy  likeness.  Our  body  is  like  a  house  for  the  soul.  Help 
us  to  keep  it  clean  and  fair  for  the  soul  that  thou  hast 
given  us.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 
Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Write  the  names  of  two  enemies  of  good  health. 

Write  three  sentences  about  keeping  the  body  well. 

During  the  week  find  a  picture  in  the  advertisement  pages 
of  a  magazine  of  a  little  girl  or  boy  whom  you  think  is  an 
example  of  a  child  whose  body  is  properly  cared  for. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

TOM,  THE  WATER  BABY 

I  Corinthians  3:16,  17b;  9:4,  25,  27;  II  Corinthians  5:1 
(Review). 

Memory  Verse 

“  God  created  man  in  his  own  image.” — Genesis  1 :27a. 


384 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

A  portion  of  Charles  Kingsley’s  charming  classic  for  chil¬ 
dren,  “  The  Water  Babies,”  has  been  selected  for  an  amplifi¬ 
cation  of  the  thought  which  we  are  developing:  “Know  ye 
not  that  ye  are  a  temple  of  God,  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
dwelleth  in  you  ?  ” 

Away  back  in  the  times  of  which  the  children  have  been 
learning  when  “  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh  came  down  to 
bathe  at  the  river,”  cleanliness  was  insisted  upon  as  a  neces¬ 
sity  of  health  and  right  living. 

Review  the  preceding  lesson  to  such  an  extent  that  an  easy 
transition  may  be  made. 

A  valuable  list  of  books  which  is  recommended  by  a 
special  city  instructor  of  sciences  is  given  with  this  lesson. 
If  the  teachers  will  make  a  study  of  one  or  more  of  these 
books,  this  most  important  subject  could  easily  be  continued 
by  very  short  suggestive  talks  during  lesson  periods  which 
follow. 


The  Story 

Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  little  chimney  sweep,  and  his 
name  was  Tom. 

He  could  neither  read  nor  write,  and  he  did  not  care  to  do 
either ;  and  he  never  washed  himself,  for  there  was  no  water 
up  in  the  court  where  he  lived.  He  never  had  been  taught  to 
say  his  prayers. 

He  cried  half  the  time,  and  laughed  the  other  half.  He 
cried  when  he  had  to  climb  the  dark  flues,  rubbing  his  poor 
knees  and  elbows  raw ;  and  when  the  soot  got  into  his  eyes, 
which  it  did  every  day  in  the  week ;  and  when  his  master 
beat  him,  which  he  did  every  day  in  the  week ;  and  when  he 
had  not  enough  to  eat,  which  happened  every  day  in  the 
week  likewise. 

One  morning  Mr.  Grimes,  Tom’s  master,  started  out  for 
Harthover  Place  to  clean  the  chimneys.  Of  course  he  took 
Tom  with  him. 

Harthover  Place  was  really  a  grand  place,  even  for  the 
rich  north  country.  The  house  was  large,  and  there  were 

gardens,  and  a  park  around  it  which  was  full  of  deer. 

\ 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


385 


Harthover  was  a  grand  place,  and  Sir  John,  the  owner,  was 
a  grand  old  man. 

Grimes  rode  the  donkey  in  front,  and  Tom,  with  the 
brushes,  walked  behind ;  out  of  the  big  city,  and  up  the 
street,  toward  the  real  country. 

Soon,  instead  of  the  groaning  of  engines,  they  heard  the 
skylark  singing  high  up  in  the  air,  and  the  little  birds  warb¬ 
ling  in  the  bushes.  It  was  very  early  in  the  morning,  and 
everyone  else  was  asleep ;  even  the  cows  in  the  meadows 
were  fast  asleep. 

On  they  went;  and  Tom  looked  and  looked,  for  he  never 
had  been  so  far  in  the  country  before.  He  longed  to  get 
over  a  gate  and  pick  buttercups ;  but  Mr.  Grimes  would  not 
have  heard  of  that. 

Soon  they  came  up  with  a  poor  Irishwoman,  trudging 
along  with  a  bundle  at  her  back.  She  had  a  gray  shawl  over 
her  head.  She  had  neither  shoes  nor  stockings,  and  limped 
along  as  if  she  were  tired  and  footsore;  but  she  was  a  very 
tall,  handsome  woman,  with  bright  gray  eyes,  and  heavy 
black  hair  hanging  about  her  cheeks. 

She  walked  beside  Tom,  and  talked  to  him,  and  asked  him 
where  he  lived,  and  what  he  knew,  and  all  about  himself, 
until  Tom  thought  that  he  had  never  met  such  a  pleasant- 
spoken  woman. 

And  she  asked  him,  at  last,  whether  he  had  said  his 
prayers !  She  seemed  sad  when  he  told  her  that  he  knew  no 
prayers  to  say. 

Then  he  asked  her  where  she  lived,  and  she  said  that  she 
lived  far  away  by  the  sea.  Tom  asked  her  about  the  sea; 
and  she  told  him  how  it  rolled  and  roared  over  the  rocks  on 
winter  nights,  and  lay  still  in  the  bright  summer  days,  for 
the  children  to  bathe  and  play  in  it.  Tom  began  to  long  to 
go  and  see  the  sea,  and  bathe  in  it,  likewise. 

At  last,  at  the  bottom  of  a  hill,  they  came  to  a  spring. 
Grimes  stopped  and  looked ;  and  Tom  looked,  too. 

Grimes  got  off  his  donkey,  and  knelt  down,  and  began 
dipping  his  ugly  head  into  the  spring — and  very  dirty  it 
made  it. 

Tom  was  picking  the  flowers  as  fast  as  he  could.  The 
Irishwoman  helped  him. 

But  when  he  saw  Grimes  actually  wash,  he  stopped,  quite 


386 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


astonished ;  and  when  Grimes  had  finished,  and  began  shak¬ 
ing  his  ears  to  dry  them,  he  said : 

“  Why,  master,  I  never  saw  you  do  that  before.” 

“  Nor  will  again,  most  likely.  ’Twasn’t  for  cleanliness  I 
did  it,  but  for  coolness.  I’d  be  ashamed  to  want  washing 
every  week  or  so,  like  any  smutty  collier  lad.” 

“  I  wish  I  might  go  and  dip  my  head  in,”  said  poor  Tom. 

“  Thou  come  along,”  said  Grimes.  “  What  dost  want  with 
washing  thyself  ?  ” 

“  I  don’t  care  for  you,”  said  Tom  and  ran  down  to  the 
stream,  and  began  washing  his  face. 

Grimes  dashed  after  him,  and  began  to  beat  him. 

“Are  you  not  ashamed  of  yourself,  Thomas  Grimes?” 
cried  the  Irishwoman. 

Grimes  looked  up,  startled  at  her  knowing  his  name.  He 
got  on  his  donkey  without  another  word. 

“  Those  that  wish  to  be  clean,  clean  they  will  be ;  and  those 
that  wish  to  be  dirty,  dirty  they  will  be !  ”  shouted  the  Irish¬ 
woman  after  them.  “  Remember.” 

After  a  while  they  had  gone  three  miles  more  and  had 
come  to  the  gates,  and  very  grand  gates  they  were. 

Tom  swept  so  many  chimneys  that  he  grew  quite  tired,  and 
puzzled,  too,  for  they  were  not  like  the  town  flues.  He  lost 
his  way  in  them,  and  was  in  pitchy  darkness. 

But  at  last,  coming  down  what  he  thought  was  the  right 
chimney,  he  came  down  the  wrong  flue,  and  found  himself 
standing  on  the  hearth  rug  in  a  room  the  like  of  which  he 
never  had  seen  before. 

The  room  was  all  dressed  in  white — white  window  cur¬ 
tains,  white  bed  curtains,  white  furniture,  and  white  walls, 
with  just  a  few  lines  of  pink  here  and  there.  The  carpet  was 
all  over  gay  little  flowers ;  and  the  walls  were  hung  with 
pictures  in  gilt  frames,  which  amused  Tom  very  much. 
There  were  pictures  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  pictures  of 
horses  and  dogs. 

But  there  were  two  pictures  which  took  his  fancy  most. 
One  of  these  was  the  picture  of  a  man  in  long  garments,  with 
little  children  and  their  mothers  round  him,  who  was  laying 
his  hand  upon  the  children’s  heads. 

The  other  picture  was  that  of  a  man  nailed  to  a  cross, 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


387 


which  surprised  Tom  much.  But  why  was  it  there?  “  Poor 
man  !  ”  thought  Tom.  “  And  he  looks  so  kind  and  quiet !  ” 
And  Tom  felt  sad,  and  awed,  and  turned  to  look  at  some¬ 
thing  else. 

The  next  thing  he  saw,  and  that,  too,  puzzled  him,  was  a 
washing  stand,  with  ewers  and  basins,  and  soap  and  brushes, 
and  towels,  and  a  large  bath  full  of  clean  water — what  a 
heap  of  things  all  for  washing!  “  She  must  be  a  very  dirty 
lady/’  thought  Tom,  “  by  my  master’s  rule,  to  want  as  much 
scrubbing  as  all  that.  But  she  must  be  very  cunning  to  put 
the  dirt  out  of  the  way  so  well  afterwards,  for  I  don’t  see 
a  speck  about  the  room,  not  even  on  the  very  towels.” 

And  then,  looking  toward  the  bed,  he  saw  that  dirty  lady 
and  held  his  breath  with  astonishment. 

Under  the  snow-white  coverlet,  upon  the  snow-white  pil¬ 
low,  lay  the  most  beautiful  little  girl  that  Tom  had  ever  seen. 
Her  cheeks  were  almost  as  white  as  the  pillow,  and  her  head 
was  like  threads  of  gold  spread  all  about  over  the  bed. 

“  No.  She  cannot  be  dirty.  She  could  never  have  been 
dirty,”  thought  Tom  to  himself.  And  then  he  thought, 
“  Are  all  people  like  that  when  they  are  washed  ?  ”  and  he 
looked  at  his  own  wrist,  and  tried  to  rub  the  soot  off,  and 
wondered  whether  it  ever  would  come  off.  “  Certainly  I 
should  look  much  prettier  then,  if  I  grew  at  all  like  her.” 

And  looking  round,  he  suddenly  saw,  standing  close  to 
him,  a  little  ugly,  black,  ragged  figure,  with  bleared  eyes  and 
grinning  white  teeth.  He  turned  on  it  angrily.  What  did 
such  a  little  black  ape  want  in  that  sweet  young  lady’s  room  ? 
And  behold,  it  was  himself  reflected  in  a  great  mirror,  the 
like  of  which  Tom  had  never  seen  before. 

And  Tom,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  found  out  that  he 
was  dirty;  and  burst  into  tears  with  shame  and  anger;  and 
turned  to  sneak  up  the  chimney  again  and  hide ;  and  upset 
the  fender  and  threw  the  fire-irons  down,  with  a  noise  as  .of 
ten  thousand  tin  kettles  tied  to  ten  thousand  mad  dogs’  tails. 

Up  jumped  the  little  white  lady  in  her  bed,  and,  seeing 
Tom,  screamed  as  shrill  as  any  peacock.  In  rushed  a  stout 
old  nurse  from  the  next  room,  and  seeing  Tom  likewise, 
made  up  her  mind  that  he  had  come  to  rob,  plunder,  destroy, 
and  burn ;  and  dashed  at  him,  as  he  lay  over  the  fender,  so 
fast  that  she  caught  him  by  the  jacket. 


388 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


But  she  did  not  hold  him.  He  doubled  under  the  good 
lady’s  arm,  across  the  room,  and  out  of  the  window  in  a 
moment. 

The  undergardener,  mowing,  saw  Tom,  and  threw  down 
his  scythe  and  gave  chase.  The  dairymaid  heard  the  noise 
and  gave  chase  to  Tom.  Grimes  upset  the  soot  sack  in  the 
new-graveled  yard,  and  spoiled  it  all  utterly ;  but  he  ran  out 
and  gave  chase  to  Tom.  The  old  steward  opened  the  park 
gate  and  gave  chase  to  Tom.  The  plowman  left  his  horses 
and  gave  chase  to  Tom.  Sir  John  looked  out  of  his  study 
window,  ran  out,  and  gave  chase  to  Tom.  The  Irishwoman, 
too,  was  walking  up  to  the  house  to  beg,  but  she  threw  away 
her  bundle,  and  gave  chase  to  Tom  likewise. 

In  a  word,  never  was  there  heard  at  Hall  Place  such  a 
noise,  row,  hubbub,  babel,  shindy,  hullabaloo,  as  that  day, 
when  Grimes,  the  gardener,  the  groom,  the  dairymaid,  Sir 
John,  the  steward,  the  plowman,  the  keeper,  and  the  Irish¬ 
woman,  all  ran  up  the  park,  shouting  “  Stop,  thief !  ” 

And  all  the  while  poor  Tom  paddled  up  the  park  with  his 
little  bare  feet.  Of  course  he  made  for  the  woods.  Then  he 
went  on  and  on,  he  hardly  knew  why ;  but  he  liked  the  great 
wide,  strange  place,  and  the  cool,  fresh,  bracing  air.  He 
went  on  and  on,  until  his  head  spun  round  with  the  heat,  and 
he  thought  he  heard  church  bells  ringing  a  long  way  off. 

Behind  him,  far  below,  was  Harthover,  and  the  dark 
woods  and  the  shining  salmon  river.  Through  the  wood, 
hundreds  of  feet  below  him,  he  could  see  a  clear  stream 
glance.  Oh,  if  he  could  but  get  down  to  that  stream.  So 
Tom  went  down ;  and  all  the  while  he  never  saw  the  Irish¬ 
woman  going  down  behind  him. 

A  mile  off,  and  a  thousand  feet  down!  So  Tom  found  it. 
At  last  he  got  to  the  bottom.  By  and  by  he  fell  half  asleep, 
and  dreamt  that  he  heard  the  little  white  lady  crying  to  him, 
“  Oh,  you’re  so  dirty ;  go  and  be  washed.” 

All  of  a  sudden  he  found  himself  over  the  road,  with  the 
stream  just  before  him,  saying  continually,  “  I  must  be  clean, 
I  must  be  clean.” 

So  he  pulled  off  all  his  clothes.  And  he  put  his  poor,  hot, 
sore  feet  into  the  water;  and  then  his  legs,  and  washed 
himself. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


389 


Devotional  Service 

(Repeat  the  devotional  Bible  Reading  lesson  for  the  pre¬ 
ceding  lesson.) 


Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  that  so  many  little  chil¬ 
dren  have  more  loving  care  given  to  their  bodies  by  fathers 
and  mothers  than  did  this  little  boy  in  the  story.  But  may 
we  follow  even  this  poor  little  boy’s  example  in  wanting  to 
make  the  body  that  thou  hast  given  us  as  clean  and  pure  and 
good  as  we  know  how.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

The  teacher  may  find  a  number  of  pictures  of  children 
being  bathed,  or  pictures  suggesting  “  cleanliness,”  and  let 
the  pupils  cut  out  and  mount,  and  make  a  class  booklet. 

A  Short  Fist  oe  Heepeue  Books 

“  Primer  of  Hygiene,”  Ritchie-Caldwell.  (World  Book 
Company,  Yonkers-on-Hudson,  New  York.) 

“  First  Book  In  Physiology,”  Krohn.  (Appleton.) 

“  Primer  of  Sanitation,”  Ritchie.  (World  Book  Com¬ 
pany.) 

“  Good  Health,”  Gulick.  (Ginn  and  Company.) 

“  Town  and  City,”  Gulick.  (Ginn  and  Company.) 

“  The  Body  at  Work,”  Gulick.  (Ginn  and  Company.) 

“  Control  of  Body  and  Mind,”  Gulick.  (Ginn  and  Com¬ 
pany.) 


CHAPTER  XL 
WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

GOD’S  GIFTS  FOR  FOOD 

Psalm  85:12;  Leviticus  26:3-5;  Ecclesiastes  10:17;  Pro¬ 
verbs  23  :20,  21. 

Memory  Verse 

“  Whether  therefore  ye  eat,  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do, 
do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.” — I  Corinthians  10:31. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

For  this  lesson  interest  the  children  in  gardening  and  plant 
culture.  Pictures  of  fruits  and  vegetables  that  may  be  col¬ 
lected  by  the  teacher  from  catalogues  furnished  by  seeds¬ 
men  will  be  found  very  useful.  The  small  box  favors  shaped 
like  fruits  and  vegetables  that  are  to  be  found  in  candy 
stores  will  also  help  to  make  an  attractive  lesson. 

The  teacher  may  also  have  a  few  small  packages  of  seeds, 
and  talk  about  the  different  varieties  and  the  flowers  or  the 
vegetables  that  will  grow  from  these  tiny  beginnings. 

Talk  to  the  children  about  spring  planting  time,  hinging 
your  talk  upon  the  following  questions : 

Who  does  the  planting? 

Can  the  planter  make  the  seed  grow  ? 

What  does  God  send  to  make  the  seed  grow?  (Rain  and 
sunshine.) 

What  does  the  gardener  or  farmer  do  to  help,  after  the 
tiny  seeds  have  sprouted  ? 

What  comes  in  the  autumn  if  the  farmer  has  done  his  part? 

Talk  about  good  ways  and  wrong  ways  of  using  God’s 
good  gifts  of  food. 

Make  lists  of  foods  that  are  good  for  children. 

Mention  that  one  of  the  wrong  ways  of  using  God’s  good 
gift  of  food  is  to  turn  the  fruit  juices  into  wine  and  drink 
until  drunkenness  is  the  result. 

Another  wrong  way  is  to  eat  too  much  until  the  body  is 
made  ill. 


390 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


391 


Another  wrong  way  to  treat  God’s  good  gifts  is  to  waste 
them. 

An  excellent  chapter  on  “  Eating  ”  is  given  in  “  Good 
Health  ”  of  the  Gulick  Hygiene  Series. 

It  discusses  the  four  important  topics : 

1.  What  to  eat. 

2.  When  to  eat. 

3.  How  to  eat. 

4.  How  much  to  eat. 

There  is  also  a  very  interesting  discussion  of  the  evil 
effects  of  alcohol  upon  the  body.  This  is  illustrated  by  the 
description  of  the  experiment  which  a  doctor  made  in  the 
interest  of  science  upon  four  little  pupils  Bum,  Tipsy,  Nig, 
and  Topsy. 

“  The  Candy  Country,”  by  Louisa  M.  Alcott,  may  be  told 
in  a  simplified  form  to  illustrate  how  too  much  of  the  things 
that  children  like  may  make  such  things  injurious  and 
repulsive. 

Pictures  will  help  this  lesson.  Two  of  the  masterpieces 
are:  Milking  Time,  by  Dupre ;  The  Gleaners,  by  Millet. 

Make  a  list  of  vegetables  good  for  food. 

Make  a  list  of  meats. 

Make  a  list  of  fruits. 

A  Bible  Story  About  Eating  Too  Much 

And  the  mixed  multitude  that  was  among  them  lusted  ex¬ 
ceedingly  :  and  the  children  of  Israel  also  wept  again,  and 
said,  Who  shall  give  us  flesh  to  eat? 

We  remember  the  fish,  which  we  did  eat  in  Egypt  for 
nought ;  the  cucumbers,  and  the  melons,  and  the  leeks,  and 
the  onions,  and  the  garlic :  but  now  our  soul  is  dried  away ; 
there  is  nothing  at  all  save  this  manna  to  look  upon. 

And  the  manna  was  like  coriander  seed.  .  .  . 

The  people  went  about,  and  gathered  it,  and  ground  it  in 
mills,  or  beat  it  in  mortars,  and  boiled  it  in  pots,  and  made 
cakes  of  it:  and  the  taste  of  it  was  as  the  taste  of  fresh 
oil.  .  ’ .  . 

And  Moses  heard  the  people  weeping  throughout  their 
families,  every  man  at  the  door  of  his  tent:  and  the 
anger  of  Jehovah  was  kindled  greatly;  and  Moses  was 
displeased.  .  .  . 


392 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


And  Jehovah  said  unto  Moses,  .  .  .  Say  thou  unto  the 
people,  .  .  .  Jehovah  will  give  you  flesh,  and  ye  shall  eat. 

Ye  shall  not  eat  one  day,  nor  two  days,  nor  five  days, 
neither  ten  days,  nor  twenty  days,  but  a  whole  month,  until 
it  come  out  at  your  nostrils,  and  it  be  loathsome  unto  you ; 
because  that  ye  have  rejected  Jehovah  who  is  among  you, 
and  have  wept  before  him,  saying,  Why  came  we  forth  out 
of  Egypt?  .  .  . 

And  there  went  forth  a  wind  from  Jehovah,  and  brought 
quails  from  the  sea,  and  let  them  fall  by  the  camp,  about  a 
day’s  journey  on  this  side,  and  a  day’s  journey  on  the  other 
side,  round  about  the  camp,  and  about  two  cubits  above  the 
face  of  the  earth. 

And  the  people  rose  up  all  that  day,  and  all  the  night,  and 
all  the  next  day,  and  gathered  the  quails :  he  that  gathered 
least  gathered  ten  homers :  and  they  spread  them  all  abroad 
for  themselves  round  about  the  camp. 

While  the  flesh  was  yet  between  their  teeth,  ere  it  was 
chewed,  the  anger  of  Jehovah  was  kindled  against  the  people, 
and  Jehovah  smote  the  people  with  a  very'  great  plague. — 
Selected  from  Numbers,  chapter  11. 

A  Blackboard  Drawing 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


393 


A  Health  Acrostic  1 
By  Margaret  Morton 

(This  may  also  be  used  as  the  basis  of  an  effective  poster.) 

Have  a  clean  handkerchief  each  morning. 

Exercise  outdoors  each  day. 

Avoid  using  a  common  drinking  cup. 

Leave  coffee  and  tea  alone. 

Take  milk  every  day. 

H  ave  clean  hands  before  meals. 

Remember  four  glasses  of  water  a  day. 

Use  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables  every  day. 

Let  your  teeth  have  a  brush  often. 

Each  week  take  one  bath  or  more. 

Sleep  long  hours  with  windows  open. 

Devotional  Service 
a  bibee  reading  lesson 

“If  ye  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  keep  my  commandments, 
and  do  them ;  then  I  will  give  your  rains  in  their  season,  and 
the  land  shall  yield  its  increase,  and  the  trees  of  the  field 
shall  yield  their  fruit. 

And  your  threshing  shall  reach  unto  the  vintage,  and 
the  vintage  shall  reach  unto  the  sowing  time ;  and  ye  shall  eat 
your  bread  to  the  full,  and  dwell  in  your  land  safely.” — 
Leviticus  26 :3-5. 


Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  thy  good  gifts  of 
food.  May  we  use  these  gifts  in  right  ways,  being  very  care¬ 
ful  to  eat  what  is  best  and  not  enough  to  hurt  us.  May  we 
be  generous  and  willing  to  share  with  those  who  may  not 
have  so  much  as  they  need.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Make  a  list  of  God’s  good  gifts  of  fruits,  of  vegetables, 
of  other  good  things  to  eat. 

1  From  Normal  Instruction  and  Primary  Plans.  Used  by  permis¬ 
sion  of  the  F.  A.  Owen  Publishing  Company,  Danville,  New  York. 


394 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Copy  the  drawing  on  the  blackboard. 

Bring  in  pictures  of  God’s  good  gifts  of  food  to  make  a 
class  booklet.  Mount  these  and  copy  appropriate  Bible  verses 
to  accompany  the  pictures. 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  STORY  OF  THE  RECHABITES 
Jeremiah  35:1-8,  12-14a,  18,  19 
Memory  Verse 

“  Whether  therefore  ye  eat,  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do, 
do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.” — I  Corinthians  10:31. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

A  good  quotation  to  write  upon  the  blackboard  and  teach 
to  the  children  in  connection  with  this  lesson  is  the  following 
saying  by  Benjamin  Franklin: 

“  Temperance  puts  wood  in  the  fire,  meal  in  the  barrel, 
flour  in  the  tub,  money  in  the  purse,  credit  in  the  country, 
contentment  in  the  house,  clothes  on  the  back,  and  vigor  in 
the  body.” 

After  the  lesson  has  been  taught,  it  may  be  possible  to 
awaken  a  deeper  interest  in  the  subject  by  discussing  how 
going  without  strong  drink  can : 

Put  wood  in  the  fire, 

Put  meal  in  the  barrel, 

Put  flour  in  the  tub, 

Put  money  in  the  purse, 

Put  contentment  in  the  house, 

Put  clothes  on  the  back, 

Put  strength  in  the  body. 

If  you  used  the  story  of  the  little  dogs  Bum,  Tipsy,  Nig, 
and  Topsy,  retell  it  very  briefly,  or  let  one  of  the  children 
tell  it. 

Refer  to  the  fact  that  God’s  good  gifts  have  been  used  in 
wrong  ways  when  strong  drink  is  made  and  is  taken  until 
the  drinker  is  drunk.  This  is  one  way  of  spoiling  the 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


395 


“  house  ”  of  the  soul  which  we  are  to  keep  clean  and  pure 
and  good  because  it  has  been  made  in  the  likeness  of  God. 

Tell  the  story  of  the  Rechabites. 

The  Story 

One  day  long,  long  ago,  so  long  ago  that  it  was  many  years 
before  Jesus  came  to  live  in  the  world,  a  father  called  his 
sons  to  him.  He  wanted  to  ask  them  something. 

This  father  was  a  very  wise  man,  because  he  knew  that  if 
he  could  get  his  sons  to  make  a  certain  promise  to  him,  and 
if  they  would  keep  that  promise,  he  could  help  them  more 
than  if  he  should  leave  them  the  greatest  wealth. 

One  of  the  kings  of  his  country  had  once  written  these 
words : 

“Who  hath  woe?  who  hath  sorrow?  who  hath  contentions? 

Who  hath  complaining?  .  .  . 

Who  hath  redness  of  eyes  ? 

They  that  tarry  long  at  the  wine.” 

The  father  did  not  want  his  sons  to  have  any  of  these 
troubles. 

Then  the  king  had  written : 

“  Look  not  thou  upon  the  wine  when  it  is  red, 

When  it  sparkleth  in  the  cup, 

When  it  goeth  down  smoothly : 

At  the  last  it  biteth  like  a  serpent, 

And  stingeth  like  an  adder.” 

The  father  believed  every  word  of  this  good  advice.  He 
made  up  his  mind  never  to  touch  wine  himself.  He  also 
made  up  his  mind  to  get  his  sons  to  promise  never  to 
touch  it. 

This  would  help  them  to  keep  strong. 

So  he  called  his  sons  together,  and  they  solemnly  made  the 
promise. 

Not  only  did  they  make  the  promise,  but  they  kept  it. 

They  kept  it  after  their  father  had  died.  They  kept  it 
even  after  they  had  grown  to  be  old  men. 

These  people  lived  long  ago,  in  a  part  of  the  land  that 
God  gave  his  chosen  people  to  live  in.  They  were  called  the 
Rechabites. 

So  the  Rechabites  grew  strong  and  sturdy. 


396 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  sons  asked  their  children  to  keep  the  same  promise 
and  they  did.  The  grandchildren,  and  even  the  great¬ 
grandchildren  kept  the  promise.  None  of  the  family  of 
Rechabites  ever  drank  a  drop  of  wine  or  of  other  strong 
drink. 

At  one  time  the  Rechabites  were  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem. 
There  was  a  good  man  in  Jerusalem  named  Jeremiah.  God 
often  spoke  to  him.  He  was  called  a  prophet,  and  he  taught 
God’s  people. 

God  said  to  Jeremiah :  “  Go  see  how  well  the  Rechabites 
can  keep  their  promise.  Go  prove  them.” 

So  the  Rechabites  were  called  together.  Bowls  and  cups 
of  wine  were  set  before  them.  They  were  invited  to  drink. 

“  No,”  said  the  Rechabites,  “  we  will  not  drink !  We  have 
promised  our  fathers.  We  will  keep  our  promise,”  and  they 
did  not  touch  a  drop  of  the  wine. 

God  was  pleased  with  the  Rechabites,  and  he  said  so.  He 
is  just  as  pleased  whenever  any  of  his  children  say:  “  No, 
we  will  not  drink  strong  drink.  We  have  promised.  We  will 
keep  our  promise.” 

The  Words  of  the  Wise  King 

“Who  hath  woe?  who  hath  sorrow?  who  hath  contentions? 
Who  hath  complaining?  who  hath  wounds  without  cause? 
Who  hath  redness  of  eyes? 

They  that  tarry  long  at  the  wine ; 

They  that  go  to  seek  out  mixed  wine. 

Look  not  thou  upon  the  wine  when  it  is  red, 

When  it  sparkleth  in  the  cup,  .  .  . 

At  the  last  it  biteth  like  a  serpent, 

And  stingeth  like  an  adder.” 

— Selected  from  Proverbs,  chapter  23. 

Devotional  Service: 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  I  will  instruct  thee  and  teach  thee  in  the  way  which  thou  shalt  go : 

I  will  counsel  thee  with  mine  eye  upon  thee. 

Be  ye  not  as  the  horse,  or  as  the  mule,  which  have  no  under¬ 
standing  ; 

Whose  trappings  must  be  bit  and  bridle  to  hold  them  in, 

Else  they  will  not  come  near  unto  thee. 

Many  sorrows  shall  be  to  the  wicked ; 

But  he  that  trusteth  in  Jehovah,  lovingkindness  shall  compass  him 
about.” 


— Psalm  32  :8-10. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


397 


Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  lessons  that  help  us 
know  how  to  keep  our  bodies,  the  house  in  which  the  soul 
must  dwell,  clean  and  well  and  good.  Help  us  to  remember 
these  lessons  and  obey  them.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

The  teacher  may  collect  pictures  suggesting  the  drinking 
of  the  proper  beverages — milk,  water,  and  so  forth,  and  let 
the  children  cut  them  out  and  mount  them  in  booklet  form. 

A  number  of  appropriate  Bible  verses  and  quotations  may 
be  added  in  order  to  impress  the  lesson. 


GOD  IN  HIS  WORLD 


CHAPTER  XLI 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

GOD’S  CREATURES  OF  THE  FIELD 

Genesis  1  :24,  25  ;  Job  12 :7- 10 ;  Proverbs  6:6-11  ;  30 :24-28. 

Memory  Verse 

“  The  earth  is  Jehovah’s,  and  the  fulness  thereof : 

The  world,  and  they  that  dwell  therein.” — Psalm  24:1. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

One  lesson  period  is  a  very  small  allotment  of  time  for 
this  subject,  and  the  teacher  will  be  bewildered  most  espe¬ 
cially  in  making  a  judicious  selection  out  of  the  abundance 
of  material  which  may  be  found  if  a  proper  search  is  made. 

Gather  plenty  of  good  animal  pictures  to  help  along  in  this 
lesson.  Practice  sketching  some  of  the  simpler  animal  forms, 
as  nothing  delights  a  class  of  children  more  than  watching 
“  teachers  draw.” 

Beautiful  animal  picture  books  are  to  be  obtained,  many 
of  which  are  in  colors. 

The  advertisement  pages  of  the  magazines  are  excellent 
sources  for  pictures  to  mount. 

Animal  toys  will  also  add  interest  to  this  lesson. 

The  aim  of  the  lesson  should  be  to  teach  the  children  that 
the  animals  and  the  creatures  of  the  field  are  God’s,  for  he 
made  them.  They  should  be  taught  that  these  creatures  have 
feeling ;  and  that  they  should  be  treated  with  gentleness  and 
kindness. 

A  great  many  beautiful  animal  stories  may  be  found.  A 
most  excellent  book  to  use  in  preparing  this  lesson  is  “  The 
Kindred  of  the  Wild  (A  Book  of  Animal  Life),”  by  Charles 
G.  D.  Roberts.  From  this  book  the  teacher  may  obtain 
plenty  of  material  for  retelling  in  simplified  form. 

401 


402 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Other  good  books  are : 

“Animal  Stories,  by  Grimm.”  (Illustrated  by  Rae.) 

“The  Prince  and  His  Ants,”  Luigi  Bertelli  (Holt). 

“  The  Pet  Book,”  Comstock  (Comstock). 

“  At  the  Zoo,”  A.  O.  Cooke.  (Nelson.) 

“  Bird  Stories,”  E.  M.  Patch.  (Atlantic.) 

“  The  Book  of  Saints  and  Friendly  Beasts,”  Abbie  Farrell 
Brown. 

“  Wild  Animals  I  Have  Known,”  Ernest  Thompson  Seton. 

Several  especially  good  animal  stories : 

“  Raggylug,”  adapted  from  Ernest  Thompson  Seton’s 
“  Wild  Animals  I  Have  Known,”  in  “  How  to  Tell  Stories 
to  Children,”  by  Sara  Cone  Bryant.  (Houghton,  Mifflin 
Company.) 

(Children  are  always  delighted  with  this  story,  which 
teaches  such  a  good  lesson.) 

“  The  Ugly  Duckling,”  Hans  Christian  Anderson. 

“  The  Bell  of  Atri,”  Fifty  Famous  Stories. 

With  this  lesson  you  may  teach  the  quotation  from  Cole¬ 
ridge’s  “  Rhyme  of  the  Ancient  Mariner 

He  prayeth  well,  who  loveth  well 
Both  man  and  bird  and  beast. 

He  prayeth  best  who  loveth  best 
All  things  both  great  and  small ; 

For  the  dear  God  who  loveth  us, 

He  made  and  loveth  all. 

If  you  choose,  you  may  lay  stress  upon  birds  in  your  par¬ 
ticular  class. 

“  Hast  thou  named  all  the  birds  without  a  gun  ?  ”  asked 
Emerson.  Create  a  feeling  of  admiration  for  this  “  for¬ 
bearance.” 

A  beautiful  story  to  use  with  this  lesson  would  be  the  fol¬ 
lowing  incident  in  Lincoln’s  life — the  story  of  the  time  when 
he  left  his  two  companions  to  go  back  to  pick  up  a  young 
fledgling  that  had  fallen  from  its  nest,  remarking  to  them: 
“  I  could  not  have  slept  to-night,  if  I  had  left  the  birds.” 

Bird  songs  on  the  phonograph  would  add  interest  to  your 
lesson. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


403 


A  Good  Littde  Pokm 
"  the:  runaway  bird  " 

“  There’s  a  bad  little  bird  in  our  pasture !  Each  day 
His  mother  calls  out,  as  he’s  running  away 
(I  s’pose  from  the  house  she  can  see  him  at  play)  : 

‘  Bob  White  !  Bob  White  !  Bob  White  !  ’ 

“  I  think  he  forgets,  as  a  little  bird  will, 

How  far  he  has  gone  in  his  playing,  until 
He  hears  her  cry  out  in  a  tone  that  is  shrill : 

‘  Bob  White !  Bob  White !  Bob  White !  ’ 

“  I  always  keep  hoping  his  mother  will  find 
Some  day  that  her  Bobby  is  learning  to  mind ! 

(A  runaway  child  is  the  tiresomest  kind!) 

‘  Bob  White !  Bob  White  !  Bob  White  !  ’  ” 

Tell  the  children  something  of  the  wonders  of  insect  life, 
especially  of  the  bees  and  the  ants. 

Tell  about  the  queen  bee  and  the  deference  of  her  “  sub¬ 
jects  ” ;  of  the  worker  bees  and  the  life  in  and  out  of  the  hive. 

Tell  about  the  wonderful  life  that  is  lived  in  the  little  ant 
hill :  about  the  obedience  shown  to  the  queen ;  about  the 
“  gladness  ”  that  seems  to  pervade  the  cell  where  she  happens 
to  be  present.  It  is  said  that  when  ants  are  happy,  they  have 
a  way  of  standing  up  and  skipping  about  something  after 
the  style  of  a  little  dance. 

This  lesson  hour  cannot,  of  course,  because  of  its  brief¬ 
ness,  be  of  a  very  scientific  nature. 

The:  Story 

A  spider  is  a  little  thing,  but  once  upon  a  time  a  spider 
helped  a  king  to  win  a  great  battle. 

Robert  Bruce,  the  king  of  Scotland,  and  all  his  brave 
soldiers  loved  their  bonnie  homeland. 

But  the  king  of  England  and  his  great  army  had  come 
marching  into  the  land  to  drive  Robert  Bruce  away,  and 
take  Scotland  for  themselves. 

Six  times  brave  Robert  Bruce  at  the  head  of  his  men  tried 
to  drive  the  enemy  back.  Six  times  they  failed. 

Robert  Bruce  had  to  run  away  and  hide  among  the  moun¬ 
tains.  The  army  was  scattered ;  the  brave  men  were  here, 
there,  and  everywhere — trying  to  save  their  own  lives. 


404 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


The  brave  king  was  discouraged.  He  threw  himself  down 
on  a  bed  of  straw  in  a  hut  amongst  the  mountains. 

“  I  can  do  no  more,”  he  sighed.  “  Scotland  will  soon  be 
taken.  I  shall  have  to  give  up.  The  enemy  will  come.  My 
men  are  discouraged.  Six  times  we  have  been  beaten !  ” 

The  poor  king  tried  to  sleep,  but  he  could  not.  He  lay 
on  his  bed  of  straw  looking  up  into  the  rude  rafters,  thinking 
about  his  poor  people,  and  how  bonnie  Scotland  would  soon 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

By  and  by  his  tired  eyes  noticed  a  little  gray  spider.  She 
was  trying  to  spin  a  web  from  one  beam  to  another. 

But  the  beams  were  quite  far  apart  for  the  spider  to  throw 
her  thread.  Once  she  tried,  and  failed.  Twice  she  tried, 
and  the  web  fell  short.  Three  times  she  threw  the  thread. 

The  king  watched. 

“  Poor  little  spider,”  he  whispered.  “  You,  too,  know 
what  it  is  to  try  and  not  succeed.” 

But  the  spider  kept  on. 

“  Four  times,  five  times,  six  times ! 

“Ah,”  said  the  king.  “Six  times!  You  might  as  well 
give  up !  ” 

The  king  watched  with  brightening  eyes. 

“  What !  You  are  going  to  try  again  ?  ” 

Eagerly  he  watched,  as  the  little  spider  tried,  oh,  so  hard ! 

She  threw  her  thread  !  It  caught !  She  succeeded  ! 

“Aha!”  cried  the  king,  as  he  jumped  from  his  bed  of 
straw,  with  a  new  light  in  his  eyes,  and  the  look  of  a  firm, 
strong  soldier  once  more.  “If  you  can  try  six  times  and 
fail,  and  try  the  seventh  time  and  win,  so  can  I !  Pve  learned 
a  good  lesson,  little  spider.  I  shall  try  again  and  win !  ” 

So  the  king  left  the  hut  in  the  mountains.  He  gathered 
together  his  soldiers  and  told  them  the  story. 

They  all  tried  again,  and  they,  too,  won ! 

A  little  spider  had  helped  a  king  and  his  army  to  save 
bonnie  Scotland. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  And  God  said,  Let  the  earth  bring  forth  living  creatures 
after  their  kind,  cattle,  and  creeping  things,  and  beasts  of 
the  earth  after  their  kind :  and  it  was  so. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


405 


And  God  made  the  beasts  of  the  earth  after  their  kind,  and 
the  cattle  after  their  kind,  and  everything  that  creepeth  upon 
the  ground  after  its  kind :  and  God  saw  that  it  was  good.” 

— Genesis  1 :24,  25. 


“  But  ask  now  the  beasts,  and  they  shall  teach  thee ; 

And  the  birds  of  the  heavens,  and  they  shall  tell  thee : 
Or  speak  to  the  earth,  and  it  shall  teach  thee; 

And  the  fishes  of  the  sea  shall  declare  unto  thee. 

Who  knoweth  not  in  all  these, 

That  the  hand  of  Jehovah  hath  wrought  this, 

In  whose  hand  is  the  soul  of  every  living  thing.” 

—Job  12  :7-10a. 


PRAYER 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  making  the  earth  a 
pleasant  place  by  creating  the  animals,  the  creatures  of  the 
field.  They  are  thine,  because  thou  hast  made  them.  We 
will  always  be  kind  to  these  creatures  which  are  thine,  and 
help  to  protect  them.  Amen. 


Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Cut  out  animal  pictures  and  make  a  scrapbook,  adding  ap¬ 
propriate  Bible  verses  and  quotations  written  with  care  by 
the  pupils. 

Let  the  children  tell  stories  of  their  pets. 


406 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  GREAT,  WIDE  SEA 
Psalms  33:7;  95:5;  104:25-27;  107:23-31;  Mark  4:35-41. 

Memory  Verse 

"  Above  the  voice  of  many  waters, 

The  mighty  breakers  of  the  sea, 

Jehovah  on  high  is  mighty.” — Psalm  93  :4. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Make  a  collection  of  pictures  of  boats,  of  seascapes,  and  of 
objects  suggesting  life  about  the  shore. 

Make  a  blackboard  sketch  of  boats  upon  the  sea,  as  such 
a  sketch  will  need  very  little  skill. 

If  possible  have  a  few  shells  and  such  things  as  skeleton 
starfish  to  show  the  children. 

A  review  of  the  story  of  the  Israelites  at  the  Red  Sea  or 
the  story  of  the  Israelites  crossing  the  Jordan  River  may  be 
used  to  show  the  power  of  God  over  the  waters. 

Many  of  the  Bible  verses  given  for  to-day’s  lesson  are 
most  beautiful,  and  the  teacher  may  assign  them  for  home¬ 
work  learning,  giving  special  credit  to  those  who  recite  them 
before  the  class  during  the  following  lesson  period. 

If  your  particular  class  is  located  in  a  city  near  the  sea, 
the  children  will  be  glad  to  tell  experiences  they  have  had 
while  at  that  most  dearly  loved  place  “  at  the  seashore.” 

The  Story 

The  sea  is  God’s,  for  he  made  it.  God  gave  his  Son, 
Jesus,  power  to  do  the  same  wonderful  things  that  he  himself 
has  power  to  do. 

One  day  Jesus  went  out  upon  the  Sea  of  Galilee  in  a  boat, 
with  his  disciples.  The  day  was  clear  and  beautiful.  Jesus 
had  been  very  busy  doing  many  kind  things  for  people,  and 
he  was  tired.  He  went  to  lie  down,  and  soon  he  was  fast 
asleep. 

Suddenly  the  sky  changed.  The  waters  became  dark  and 
angry-looking.  Winds  whistled  down  and  struck  the  sea. 
The  big  waves  rose  and  beat  upon  the  boat. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


407 


Jesus’  friends  knew  just  how  to  manage  a  boat.  But 
when  they  tried  to  make  for  the  land,  even  their  brawny 
arms  could  not  steer  the  boat.  The  men  grew  frightened. 
It  semed  as  if  everyone  would  be  drowned.  And  all  this 
time,  Jesus  still  slept. 

Presently  the  men  hurried  to  Jesus.  “  Lord,  save  us ! 
We  perish !  ”  they  cried. 

Some  one  asked,  “  Teacher,  carest  thou  not  that  we 
perish  ?  ” 

“  Master,  Master,  we  perish !  ”  still  another  man  ex¬ 
claimed. 

Jesus  woke  up.  Then  he  rose  from  his  pillow.  He  said  to 
the  wind  and  to  the  sea,  “  Peace,  be  still !  ” 

His  words  were  very  gentle.  The  wind  stopped  blowing; 
the  waves  stopped  beating ;  the  storm  was  over.  The  sea 
obeyed  its  Master. 

“  Do  ye  not  trust  me?  Why  are  ye  afraid?”  he  asked  the 
men. 

The  power  of  God  and  his  .Son  in  the  world  is  very  great. 

The  following  poem  may  be  read  to  the  class  or  told  in 
prose  form  by  the  teacher. 


The  Captain’s  Daughter 

We  were  crowded  in  the  cabin, 
Not  a  soul  would  dare  to  sleep, — 
It  was  midnight  on  the  waters, 
And  a  storm  was  on  the  deep. 


’Tis  a  fearful  thing  in  winter 
To  be  shattered  by  the  blast, 
And  to  hear  the  rattling  trumpet 
Thunder,  “  Cut  away  the  mast !  ” 


So  we  shuddered  there  in  silence, — 
For  the  stoutest  held  his  breath, 
While  the  hungry  sea  was  roaring, 
And  the  breakers  talked  with  death. 

As  thus  we  sat  in  darkness, 

Each  one  busy  with  his  prayers, 

“  We  are  lost !  ”  the  captain  shouted, 
As  he  staggered  down  the  stairs. 


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PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


But  his  little  daughter  whispered, 

As  she  took  his  icy  hand, 

“  Isn’t  God  upon  the  ocean, 

Just  the  same  as  on  the  land?” 

Then  we  kissed  the  little  maiden, 

And  we  spoke  in  better  cheer, 

And  we  anchored  safe  in  harbor 
When  the  morn  was  shining  clear.” 

— James  T.  Fields. 


Devotional  Service 
A  BIBEE  READING  LESSON 

“  He  gathereth  the  waters  of  the  sea  together  as  a  heap.” 

“  The  sea  is  his,  and  he  made  it.” 

“Yonder  is  the  sea,  great  and  wide, 

Wherein  are  things  creeping  innumerable, 

Both  small  and  great  beasts. 

There  go  the  ships ; 

There  is  leviathan,  whom  thou  hast  formed  to  play  therein. 

These  wait  all  for  thee, 

That  thou  mayest  give  them  their  food  in  due  season.” 

Prayer 

Heavenly  B'ather,  when  we  visit  the  seashore  and  watch 
the  waves  come  and  go ;  when  we  watch  the  stormy  sea ; 
when  we  see  the  gentle  waters ;  may  we  remember  that  the 
sea,  too,  belongs  to  thee,  for  thou  hast  made  it.  May  we 
love  it  a  little  more  because  of  this  lesson,  and  these  beautiful 
words  that  we  have  learned  from  the  Bible.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Mount  pictures  of  the  sea  in  a  booklet  and  add  carefully 
written  Bible  verses.  Give  this  book  to  some  child  who  is 
shut  in  and  would  be  pleased  with  it,  or  send  to  some 
hospital. 


CHAPTER  XLII 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

DAY  AND  NIGHT 

Genesis  1 : 14-18  ;  Psalms  19 :1,  2 ;  74 :16 ;  139 : 12 ;  Jeremiah 
31:35;  Ecclesiastes  1:5;  11:7;  Genesis  15:5b;  Psalms  8:3; 
104:19-24;  Mark  1 :21-34. 

Memory  Verse 

“  The  day  is  thine,  the  night  also  is  thine.” 

— Psalm  74 :16a. 

The  Teacher's  Preparation 

Write  the  following  verses  upon  the  blackboard  before 
the  session : 

“  And  God  said,  Let  there  be  light :  and  there  was  light. 

And  God  saw  the  light,  that  it  was  good :  and  God  divided  the 
light  from  the  darkness. 

And  God  called  the  light  Day,  and  the  darkness  he  called  Night.” 

It  is  interesting  as  we  read  over  the  story  of  God’s  work 
of  creation  in  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis,  to  think  of  night 
as  the  oldest  thing  in  the  world :  “  And  darkness  was  upon 
the  face  of  the  deep.” 

God’s  first  creation  was  light,  the  forerunner  of  all  his 
other  great  blessings,  the  wonderful  thing  that  made  them 
possible. 

Try  to  give  the  children  some  glimmering  idea  and  appre¬ 
ciation  of  the  wonder  and  beauty  of  the  first  great  work  of 
creation.  Show  them  something  of  the  beauty  and  use  of 
both  day  and  night. 

Call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  works  of  creation  de¬ 
pended  upon  the  light  of  day :  point  out  how  the  grass,  the 
flowers,  and  the  trees  need  light  for  their  growth ;  how  the 
birds  and  the  animals  need  the  light  of  the  daytime  for  their 


409 


410 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


growth  and  well-being;  how  necessary  day  is  to  the  comfort 
and  the  very  life  of  the  people  who  live  on  the  earth. 

Why  did  God  give  the  night  to  man  ?  In  order  that  he 
might  rest.  Tell  how  the  night  is  made  beautiful — by  the 
soft  lights  of  the  moon  and  the  stars  in  the  sky ;  by  the  sweet 
odors  of  the  flowers  in  the  summer  time;  by  the  soft  music 
of  the  insects  in  summer  and  autumn;  by  the  restful,  cool¬ 
ing  winds  on  summer  nights. 

After  due  attention  has  been  given  to  this  side  of  the  les¬ 
son — the  creation  of  day  and  night,  their  beauty,  and  their 
use  in  a  broad  sense,  that  is,  work  and  rest — consider  espe¬ 
cially  the  way  in  which  God  wishes  his  daytime  to  be  spent. 

Write  the  first  verse  of  Thomas  Carlyle’s  “  A  Dawning 
Day  ”  upon  the  blackboard,  giving  in  your  own  words  the 
sense  of  the  second  and  third  verses. 

So  here  hath  been  dawning 
Another  blue  day. 

Think  !  Wilt  thou  let  it 
Slip  useless  away? 

Out  of  eternity 
This  new  day  is  born; 

Into  eternity 
At  night  doth  return. 

Behold  it  beforehand 
No  eye  ever  did; 

So  soon  it  forever 
From  all  eyes  is  hid. 

Mere  hath  been  dawning 
Another  blue  day. 

Think  !  Wilt  thou  let  it 
Slip  useless  away? 

From  this  thought  pass  to  the  thought  that  Jesus  was  the 
Light  of  the  world.  How  did  he  spend  his  days.  Tell  the 
story  of  one  of  Jesus’  days. 

The:  Story 

Daytime  had  come  again  to  the  city  of  Capernaum.  The 
sun  rose  over  the  blue  lake  of  Galilee.  The  light  peeped  in 
at  the  doors  and  windows  of  Peter’s  cottage — Peter  the  fish¬ 
erman  of  Galilee — and  into  all  the  other  houses  of  the  town. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


411 


It  was  going  to  be  a  wonderful  day.  But  this  would  not 
be  only  because  the  day  always  made  the  lake  and  the  gar¬ 
dens  and  the  pretty  homes  bright  and  pretty ! 

There  was  another  reason:  Jesus  was  living  in  Peter’s 
home.  And  Jesus  was  going  to  help  all  the  people  he  could 
— he  was  going  to  do  many  wonderful  things  that  day. 

Jesus  was  going  to  spend  the  day  just  as  God,  his  Father, 
wished  him  to  spend  it. 

It  was  the  Sabbath  morning.  Jesus  and  Peter  and  James 
and  John  and  Jesus’  other  followers  went  to  church. 

When  they  reached  the  synagogue,  as  the  church  was 
called,  Jesus  spoke  to  the  people  and  taught  them. 

“  We  never  heard  anything  like  this  before,”  said  one  per¬ 
son  to  another,  as  they  listened  to  his  wonderful  words. 

Now  there  happened  to  be  a  man  who  was  suffering  from 
a  strange  disease  who  came  to  church  that  day.  People  said 
he  had  an  evil,  unclean  spirit.  Often  the  man  cried  out  and 
said  words  that  he  could  not  seem  to  help  saying. 

Presently  he  exclaimed  to  Jesus:  “What  have  we  to  do 
with  thee,  Jesus,  thou  Nazarene?  Art  thou  come  to  destroy 
us?  I  know  thee  who  thou  art,  the  Holy  One  of  God.” 

Then  Jesus  spoke  to  the  unclean  spirit,  saying,  “  Hold  thy 
peace,  and  come  out  of  him.” 

The  unclean  spirit  left  the  man,  and  he  was  healed.  The 
people  were  greatly  amazed,  and  began  to  talk  together ;  they 
wondered  who  Jesus  was;  they  carried  the  story  home  with 
them,  and  the  news  spread  throughout  all  the  region. 

Jesus  and  his  friends  left  the  church,  and  Jesus  went  home 
with  Peter.  The  house  was  kept  by  Peter’s  wife  and  her 
mother.  Very  often  during  the  week  they  had  a  dinner  of 
fresh  fish  that  Peter  and  Andrew  had  caught  in  their  nets 
out  in  the  sea.  With  the  fish  they  had  cakes  that  were  made 
of  the  flour  that  Peter’s  wife  and  her  mother  ground  in  the 
big  mill.  They  put  in  the  grains  of  wheat ;  then  both  took 
hold  of  the  handle  and  turned  one  great  stone  upon  another ; 
the  flour  fell  from  between  the  stones.  They  mixed  the  flour 
with  some  water  from  the  big,  stone  water  jar,  molded  the 
loaves  like  flat  cakes,  and  baked  them  in  the  oven. 

When  Jesus  and  Peter  and  the  others  reached  the  house, 
they  found  that  the  mother  had  become  very  ill,  and  it 
seemed  as  if  she  could  not  get  well.  They  came  quickly  to 


412 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Jesus  and  asked  for  his  help.  And  Jesus  was  ready  and  glad 
to  help  them,  for  he  intended  to  spend  all  that  day  in  helping 
everyone  wno  needed  help  and  who  came  to  him  to  ask  for  it. 

hLe  bent  over  the  sick  mother  and  gently  took  her  hand , 
he  lifted  her  up.  He  commanded  the  fever  to  leave  her. 
The  fever  immediately  left  the  mother,  and  she  rose  and  be¬ 
gan  to  care  for  her  household  again. 

This  wonderful  story  of  the  cure  spread  far  and  near 
among  the  people  who  dwelt  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 

“  We  never  saw  anything  like  it,”  said  everyone. 

“  No  one  ever  has  helped  us  like  this!  ”  they  exclaimed. 

At  evening  time,  when  the  sun  had  set,  Peter’s  cottage  was 
surrounded  by  people  who  had  come  to  find  Jesus,  and  he 
was  soon  very  busy. 

It  was  a  poor,  unhappy  crowd ;  some  people  were  lame  and 
some  were  ill  and  some  were  blind.  Some  were  so  blind  that 
they  had  to  be  led.  Mothers  carried  sick  little  children  in 
their  arms. 

Jesus  had  comfort  for  all,  and  he  healed  them,  and  they 
went  away  with  happiness  and  new  life.  I  am  sure  that  not 
one  of  those  people  who  looked  into  the  face  of  the  Master, 
so  filled  with  love  and  peace,  ever  forgot  what  he  saw  there. 

At  last  the  hours  for  sleeping  came  and  the  people  went 
away ;  the  busy  day  was  over.  But  Jesus  did  not  sleep  long ; 
he  left  home  before  the  coming  of  the  daylight,  and  went  out 
to  the  near-by  hills  to  pray. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“  He  appointed  the  moon  for  seasons : 

The  sun  knoweth  his  going  down. 

Thou  makest  darkness,  and  it  is  night, 

Wherein  all  the  beasts  of  the  forest  creep  forth. 

The  young  lions  roar  after  their  prey, 

And  seek  their  food  from  God. 

The  sun  ariseth,  they  get  them  away, 

And  lay  them  down  in  their  dens. 

Man  goeth  forth  unto  his  work 
And  to  his  labor  until  the  evening. 

O  Jehovah,  how  manifold  are  thy  works ! 

In  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all : 

The  earth  is  full  of  thy  riches.” 


Psalm  104:19-24. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


413 


Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  the  beautiful  light  of 
the  day  which  gives  us  health  and  happiness,  and  even  life 
itself.  We  thank  thee  for  its  hours  for  work  and  play.  May 
we  spend  the  days  of  our  lives  as  thou  wouldst  have  us 
spend  them,  in  doing  right  things  and  kind  things.  Help  us 
often  to  think  of  this  sample  day  that  Jesus  spent.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Cut  out  and  mount  pictures  of  children  doing  right  things 
and  kind  things  during  a  happy  day. 

Make  a  booklet  illustrating  “  A  Child’s  Happy  Day.” 

Intersperse  the  pages  of  these  booklets  with  appropriate 
Bible  verses  and  bits  of  beautiful  quotations  such  as  that 
suggested,  “  So  here  hath  been  dawning  another  blue  day.” 

Interest  the  children  in  spending  one  special  day  during 
the  week  in  doing  acts  of  kindness. 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

SEEDTIME  AND  HARVEST 

Psalm  24 :1 ;  Job  28 :5a  ;  Psalm  65  :9-13  ;  Song  of  Solomon 
7 :13b ;  James  5  :7b ;  Mark  4  :28,  29 ;  Genesis  8 :22. 

Memory  Verse 

“  While  the  earth  remaineth,  seedtime  and  harvest,  and 
cold  and  heat,  and  summer  and  winter,  and  day  and  night 
shall  not  cease.” — Genesis  8 :22. 

The  Teacher’s  Preparation 

A  very  great  deal  has  been  done  in  the  secular  schools  in 
connection  with  nature  instruction  and  also  in  the  art  and 
drawing  courses  which  will  help  the  Bible  School  teacher  in 
the  successful  preparation  of  this  lesson. 

Current  numbers  of  the  teacher’s  magazines  often  contain 
fine  full-page  illustrations  which  correlate  with  this  subject 
and  will  give  the  necessary  helps  and  copies  for  blackboard 
illustration,  as  well  as  suggestions  for  poster  and  booklet 
work. 


414 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


Many  lessons  in  nature  study  are  splendidly  worked  out. 
These  can  be  used,  adding,  of  course,  your  most  vital  and 
important  touch,  the  thought  that  the  seedtime  and  the  har¬ 
vest  time  are  God’s ;  that  God  is  working  in  his  world. 

Promises  are  very  important  things  in  the  life  of  a  little 
child.  You  could  use  this  as  a  clue,  as  your  “bait  ”  for 
“  interest  ”  at  the  beginning  of  your  lesson.  Talk  a  few 
minutes  about  “  mother’s  promises  ” :  what  are  they  like, 
always  something  nice  for  her  good  boys  and  girls.  How 
are  promises  to  be  kept,  and  so  forth. 

Say  that  you  are  going  to  talk  about  a  very  wonderful 
promise  that  a  Father  gave  to  his  children — a  very  wonder¬ 
ful  promise. 

Write  the  promise  on  the  blackboard  and  read  im¬ 
pressively. 

Base  your  lesson  on  the  explanation  of  the  question :  How 
has  this  promise  been  kept? 


The  Story 

Autumn  is  the  season  when  God  keeps  a  promise  that  he 
made  so  long  ago  that  we  have  to-  turn  to  the  first  part  of 
our  Bible  to>  find  it.  This  promise  is  the  Memory  Verse 
that  we  are  to  learn  with  this  lesson :  “  While  the  earth  re- 
maineth,  seedtime  and  harvest,  and  cold  and  heat,  and  sum¬ 
mer  and  winter,  and  day  and  night  shall  not  cease.” 

Seedtime  and  harvest !  These  are  words  that  mean  a  great 
deal  to  all  of  us,  boys  and  girls  and  grown  people ;  they  mean 
a  great  deal  even  to  the  birds  and  animals. 

You  will  be  very  much  surprised,  perhaps  when  I  tell  you 
that  much  of  our  food  is  really  seed.  I  know  you  thought 
that  little  birds  are  the  creatures  that  live  on  seed.  But  let 
us  think  about  it  together.  Of  what  is  our  bread  made? 
Flour.  And  of  what  is  flour  made?  Wheat.  And  wheat  is 
a  seed. 

Again:  Of  what  are  muffins  made,  that  mother  some¬ 
times  bakes.  Corn.  (Show  an  ear.)  And  corn  is  a  seed. 
Of  what  is  the  oatmeal  made,  that  you  often  eat  in  the  morn¬ 
ing  for  breakfast?  Oats.  And  oats  are  seeds. 

Perhaps  you  will  be  surprised  when  I  help  you  to  think 
that  the  apples  and  pears  and  peaches  that  we  call  fruits  are 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


415 


really  the  outside  coverings  of  seeds.  See!  (Cut  open  an 
apple.)  Inside  of  the  apple  are  the  tiny  brown  seeds.  You 
remember  the  great  big  pit  or  seed  that  you  find  inside  of 
every  juicy  peach  that  you  eat. 

And  what  are  nuts  but  seeds?  Chestnuts,  walnuts,  beech¬ 
nuts,  hazelnuts,  hickory  nuts — all  these  are  seeds. 

(Write  upon  the  blackboard  in  large  letters:  SEEDTIME 
AND  HARVEST.)  What  does  “harvest’’  mean?  It  is  a 
beautiful  word  that  means  “  the  gathering  in  ”  time.  The 
farmer  says :  “  I  will  harvest  my  wheat.  I  will  harvest  my 
corn.  I  will  harvest  my  apples.”  He  means,  “  I  will  gather 
in  my  wheat,  my  corn,  my  apples.” 

Now  if  you  think  a  minute  you  will  understand  that  when 
God  promised,  “  While  the  earth  remaineth,  seedtime  and 
harvest  shall  always  come,”  he  really  was  promising  us  our 
food.  It  was  as  if  our  Father  in  heaven  said,  “  While  the 
earth  remaineth,  you  shall  have  food  to  eat.” 

These  are  wonderful  thoughts  to  think  in  the  beautiful 
days  of  autumn,  are  they  not? 

And  now  I  want  to  help  you  to  watch  this  fall  for  some 
of  the  ways  that  seeds  sow  themselves  so  that  not  only  the 
food  plants,  but  the  flowers,  the  wild  flowers,  come  back  each 
year.  (Select  some  winged  seeds  such  as  the  milkweed, 
thistle,  and  fireweed  to  show  to  the  children.)  Here  is  a 
wonderful  little  seed.  It  is  like  a  little  airship  ;  and  here  is 
another  and  another.  The  slightest  wind  will  blow  them 
away.  Mr.  Bird  likes  to  eat  a  great  many  seeds ;  they  are 
part  of  his  food.  But  many  escape  from  him ;  they  fly  away 
and  are  carried  off  by  the  autumn  winds ;  they  hide  them¬ 
selves  under  fallen  leaves  or  under  fences.  They  lie  quietly 
all  winter  as  if  they  were  asleep.  By  and  by,  the  warm 
spring  rains  fall,  and  the  soft  sun  rays  warm  them,  and 
then — some  one  surely  can  tell  us  what  then  happens  ? 

(Continue  your  nature  talk  in  this  way,  letting  the  children 
give  their  own  experiences  wherever  possible.  Call  attention 
to  the  beggar’s-ticks  and  the  sticktights,  and  how  they  are 
carried.) 

Additional  Teaching  Suggestions 

Tell  the  story  of  “  Our  First  Thanksgiving  Day  ”  and 
why  and  how  the  Pilgrims  kept  it. 


416 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


\ 


Show  several  of  the  many  Pilgrim  pictures  to  be  bought  at 
the  Perry  Pictures  Company  and  other  companies  where 
these  inexpensive  copies  may  be  found. 

Devotional  Service 

A  BIBLE  READING  LESSON 

“The  earth  is  Jehovah’s,  and  the  fulness  thereof; 

The  world,  and  they  that  dwell  therein.” 

— Psalm  24 :1. 

»!'  vD  -J/  \1» 

'p  'j' 

“  The  earth  beareth  fruit  of  herself ;  first  the  blade,  then 
the  ear,  then  the  full  grain  in  the  ear. 

But  when  the  fruit  is  ripe,  straightway  he  putteth  forth 
the  sickle,  because  the  harvest  is  come.” — Mark  4 :28,  29. 

Prayer 

Heavenly  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  the  Seedtime  and  the 
Harvest.  We  thank  thee  for  the  promise  that  thou  didst 
make,  that  we  shall  have  them  always.  May  we  act  as  chil¬ 
dren  should  act  who  have  a  Father  who  has  made  such  a 
wonderful  promise  to  them.  Amen. 

Suggested  Activities 

Copy  the  Memory  Verse. 

Draw  or  cut  out  pictures  of  fruits,  vegetables  and  so  forth, 
suggestive  of  the  seasons. 

Make  poster  pictures. 

Sing  songs  suggestive  of  the  harvest  season. 

Teach  a  Thanksgiving  song. 

Let  the  children  make  a  collection  of  winged  seeds  and 
seeds  that  are  flat  and  paste  them  upon  sheets  of  paper. 

A  Good  Poem  to  Read  with  This  Lesson 

the  tree 

The  Tree’s  early  leaf  buds  were  bursting  their  brown; 

“Shall  I  take  them  away?”  said  the  Frost,  sweeping  down. 

“  No,  leave  them  alone 
Till  the  blossoms  have  grown,” 

Prayed  the  Tree,  while  he  trembled  from  rootlet  to  crown. 


PRIMARY  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


417 


The  Tree  bore  his  blossoms,  and  all  the  birds  sung: 

“Shall  I  take  them  away?”  said  the  Wind,  as  he  swung. 

“  No,  leave  them  alone 
Till  the  blossoms  have  grown,” 

Said  the  Tree,  while  his  leaflets  quivering  hung. 

The  Tree  bore  his  fruit  in  the  midsummer  glow: 

Said  the  child,  “  May  I  gather  thy  berries  now  ?  ” 

“Yes,  all  thou  canst  see: 

Take  them ;  all  are  for  thee,” 

Said  the  Tree,  while  he  bent  down  his  laden  boughs  low.” 

— Bjornstjerne  Bjornson. 

Two  Good  Books  to  use:  with  This  Le:sson 

“  The  Farm  Book,”  story  and  pictures  by  E.  Boyd  Smith. 
Houghton.  $3.00.  This  story  book  tells  interestingly  “  all 
about  the  farmer  ”  and  how  he  plows,  sows,  reaps,  milks, 
makes  butter,  cuts  down  trees.  Children  from  three  to  nine 
will  like  this  book. 

“  The  Sandman,  His  Farm  Stories.”  Page.  $1.75. 

These  are  sleepy-time  stories  told  by  Daddy  to  his  three- 
year-old  child.  The  stories  of  plowing  and  haying  and  har¬ 
vesting  are  interesting  to  all  children  of  Primary  age. 


Blackboard  Decoration 


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